Falls Church News-Press 4-28-2022

April 28 - May 4, 2022

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 X XII No. 11

The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia

Deepest Rate Cut In Region

By Far

Artists In The Little City

F.C.’s Tax Rate Now Down Whopping 9¢

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

This Monday, May 2, the Falls Church City Council will vote to formally adopt the City’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget that will function for the operations of the City and its school for the year beginning this July 1.

This go-around, the Council is expected to have no difficulty quickly reaching a consensus on what should be a unanimous vote, given that the “mark up” of the proposed $112 million budget, which will increase if adopted according to plan over the current budget by 7.58 percent, with no visible dissent just this past Monday.

Unlike the City’s regional neighbors, the Council is poised to slash nine cents off its real estate tax rate, from $1.32 to $1.23 per $100 of assessed valuation.

That is in sharp contrast to Arlington, whose board last

Continued on Page 3

FALLS CHURCH ARTS is currently hosting their All Members Show. The show features 119 local artists and a variety of media including photographs, paintings and more. The show is on through May 8 and displayed pieces are available for purchase in the gallery. (Photo: News-Press).

Broad & Washington Groundbreaking This Friday

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

At long last, the groundbreaking for the large scale mixed use project at the northeastern corner of the E. Broad St. (Route 7) at N. Washington (Route 29) intersection in the

center of the City of Falls Church will be celebrated this Friday morning, April 29, that will involve shovels, dirt, a heavy dose of Falls Church Celebrity A listers, leaders of the Creative Cauldron local theater troupe that is looking forward to occupying 5,000

square feet at the site (it is rumored they may also do a little performing Friday) and representatives of the Insight Property Group and a modest reception at the Clare and Don’s Beach Shack.

It is not known whether work by VDOT on creating a

Route 29 southbound left turn into the restaurants adjacent the site will be completed in time, but most of the rest of the 2.7 acres has already been leveled (including the site of the old Mountain Jack’s and

Continued on Page 4

Inside This Week Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day This Year

Falls Church Women’s History Walk This Sunday

See Mother’s Day Special, Pages 12 and 13

See News & Notes, Page 16

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching and now is the time to make your plans. Pick up local baked goods or flowers and head out on a local adventure for a hike, picnic or another fun activity.

The Falls Church Women’s History Walk will take place throughout the City this Sunday and feature various “Herstory” statios about female leaders from the area over the years. `

Index

Comment...................................... 5,7,8 Editorial................................................ 6 Letters.................................................. 6 Crime Report....................................... 8 Business News.................................... 9 Mother’s Day Special..................12,13 News & Notes..............................16,17 Calendar......................................18,19 Critter Corner..................................... 22 FCCPS Page..................................... 23

PAGE 2 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

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NEWS BRIEFS Beyer-Chaired Committee Reports Big Gains Yesterday, the U.S. Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Falls Church’s Rep. Don Beyer, released a new analysis of wage data that shows workers saw their earnings rise 4.5 percent in 2021, the fastest pace of growth in almost four decades.

According to recent data, gains were particularly strong for job switchers and low-income workers. Despite inflation, many workers are seeing real wage gains, a reflection of strong consumer demand for both goods and services. Strong demand for workers improves workers’ bargaining power and their wages.

March Homes Sales Down 4.9 Percent Low inventory and higher rates resulted in fewer homes sales in Northern Virginia over last year— which tracks with national trends, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR).

Northern Virginia saw a 4.9 percent decline in homes sales over March 2021, similar to the 4.5 percent drop nationwide. However, inventory was significantly scarcer in the region compared to nationally.

Existing-home sales decreased in March, marking two consecutive months of declines nationally, according to the NVAR, while the Northern Virginia region experienced its third decline in a row, largely fueled by lack of inventory. Housing inventory was down almost 22 percent in Northern Virginia while it declined by 9.5 percent nationally from one year ago. NAR reported that unsold inventory sits at a 2.0-month supply, while in the Northern Virginia region—right outside the nation’s capital, there was only a 0.56-month supply in March.

Homes in the NVAR region sold in just 14 days on average in March, a decrease of 30 percent compared to March 2021 when homes took an average of 20 days to sell. In comparison, nationally properties remained on the market for 17 days in March, down from 18 days in

March 2021. Prices for homes rose nationwide with the median existing-home price topping $375,300, up 15 percent from March 2021.

Warner, Kaine Tout Funds For Mental Health Wednesday, U.S. Virginia U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $2,642,519 in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the Virginia State Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).

This funding will go towards improving call and text response rates at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

“In the last two years of the pandemic, we have seen an increased demand for mental health services,” the senators said. “We are pleased that this funding will allow the Commonwealth to provide more timely assistance to those who are in crisis and in need of help.”

Currently in Virginia, the DBHDS has an in-state answer rate of 83 percent. The goal of this funding is to increase answer rates at call centers to 90 percent by the end of the grant period. In addition, SAMSHA has a stated goal of answering 90 percent of calls within 15 seconds and 95 percent of calls within 20 seconds by the end of the grant period.

This funding comes ahead of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s July transition from the current 10-digit number to a threedigit, 988, dialing code. With the switch, SAMHSA is expecting an increase in calls.

Chess Tournament Slated for Boro in Tysons May 21 The Boro in Tysons is bring-

ing ‘The Boro’s Gambit’ back to The Sandlot Tysons on Saturday, May 21. Grandmaster Rashad Babaev, an international chess sensation and one of the only grandmasters in the DMV, will invite spectators and up to 50 players (from beginners to experts) to face off against him in fast-paced, simultaneous games of chess. The final three players will take home a special prize. There will also be lawn games set up around Boro Park for all guests to enjoy.

WHCA Announces New Lifetime Award On the eve of its annual dinner in D.C., the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) announced the creation of its first-ever lifetime career achievement award, named after the first two African American women to serve as members of the White House press corps.

From here on, the DunniganPayne Prize for Lifetime Career Achievement will be awarded on an occasional basis at the discretion of the WHCA board to recognize meritorious service throughout an individual’s career as a White House correspondent.

The namesakes of the award, the late reporters Alice Dunnigan of the Associated Negro Press and Ethel Payne of the Chicago Defender, will be the first recipients of the prize. Their relatives will be on hand to accept the posthumous honor at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington on April 30.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 3

F.C. City Council To Vote on Final Tax Rate Cut Monday

Continued from Page 1

week voted to freeze its rate at its current level, Fairfax County, which will soon vote for a slight three cent reduction, and Alexandria, which is also poised to freeze its rate at its current level.

Normally, a much tinier jurisdiction, which is what Falls Church is in comparison to these neighbors, suffers from costlier burdens determined by scale, so for Falls Church to be making such a deep cut in its rate is little short of astounding. And it is being accomplished with the full funding of the School Board’s transfer request, significant wage and salary increases for both school and City employees, and the management of the debt on the construction of its new $120 million high school, and renovations and expansions of its public library and City Hall.

The result has to do with the impact on City coffers of a continuing boom of commercial and mixed use development, which will be marked by an important ground breaking at the City’s

central intersection of Broad and Washington by the Insight Property Group’s of its 2.7 acre project that will include a 55,000 square foot Whole Foods market (see story, elsewhere this issue), even as a spate of other large scale projects are about to begin or be completed.

The commercial boom Falls Church has invited over the past two decades was given as the main reason the Council here has dashed the recommendation of City Manager Wyatt Shields to add a five-cent “commercial and industrial” tax as a surcharge on business properties in the City.

The tax, which the City would have levied for the first time since it was authorized by the General Assembly in 2013, even as all other neighboring jurisdictions have already applied it.

The measure, which would have added $420,000 in tax revenues to the budget, was deemed not worth it as the City continues to push aggressive economic development.

In a letter to the Council opposing the tax from the board of directors of the Falls Church Chamber

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of Commerce sent last week, the board echoed the sentiments of a number of Council members by saying, “Great strides have been made to improve the City’s business-friendly reputation in recent years, and the Chamber fears this proposal will place the City at a competitive disadvantage in attracting new business and retaining those existing at this time…the Chamber is concerned that the cumulative impact of this proposed tax, coupled with other existing imbalances in burdens, such as BPOL rates, will cripple the City’s ability to compete on a level playing field in attracting and retaining businesses.”

It concluded, “It is our position that this is not the time to bring new taxes into a realm that has faced significant challenges during the pandemic and attempts to make up their losses or simply stabilize.”

At Monday’s meeting it took significant energy from Council member Phil Duncan to achieve Council consensus to lop off a final half-cent from the real estate rate and bring it to an even $1.23.

Even at this lower rate, it was

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noted however that the average tax bill will go up by $600 this year.

That lower rate was incorporated by Vice Mayor Letty Hardi in her summary remarks that included some earmarked funding for road paving and sidewalk improvements, additional tax relief for the elderly and infirm, affordable housing, some refugee resettlement funds and more that were then used to others on the Council as a deft summarization of how to craft the budget that will be voted on this Monday.

In addition to lowering the real estate rate against the 12 percent explosion of assessments released earlier this spring, the Council also moved to lower the car tax rate, given the unseasonal boom in car values at this moment, expanded eligibility for tax relief to seniors, and to eschew the commercial and industrial tax altogether.

Yet the schools will be getting every dime they requested, and robust wage and salary increases are built into both the school and City budgets.

With all this, it did not go

unnoticed that the City has been advised to keep a whopping some of almost $40 million in sum form of reserve, including an unassigned fund balance and contingency fund, a huge number against an annual operating budget of just $112 million. This is in accordance with the recommendation of the City’s financial advisors, the Davenport group.

Mayor David Tarter seemed to think it was a good idea to keep so much in reserve. This is “prudent” for now, he said. “We have to be careful because a lot of money that’s being counted on has not yet actually been collected, and moreover, there may be a recession on the horizon,” he noted.

To that point, the Council approved a request from Shields Monday that the closing date on a payment of $4.5 million to the City by the West Falls Gateway Partners, be delayed for two weeks from this Friday to May 13.

The vote on the budget mark up this Monday was unanimous except for an abstention by Councilman David Snyder.

Community Shred Day

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PAGE 4 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Groundbreaking at Broad & Washington Set for Tomorrow Continued from Page 1

subsequently Applebee’s), with the four-story Robertson Building at the corner emptied and about to come down. It will come down in a piecemeal fashion, unfortunately with no dramatic eye-pleasing implosions slated.

According to Maury Stern of Insight, it will be two years before the new 50,000 square foot mega-Whole Foods that signed a lease two years ago for the site will open.

Other aspects include the subsidized space for the non-profit Creative Cauldron, a grassy, public “Unity and Justice” plaza right at the corner, 339 residential units, ground floor retail and an expansion of free and other parking that will also benefit adjacent businesses and an option for voluntary concessions that include up to 10 percent of the residential units to be set aside for permanent affordable housing.

The site was first acquired

by Insight for $13.6 million in early 2015 in a deal with the now-imprisoned Todd Hitt who was originally committed to

putting his real estate developer company’s headquarters there. A unanimous City Council vote of approval was obtained. But when Hitt was arrested and convicted of investor fraud in 2017, Insight had to reconfigure its plans for the site, and that accounted for some of the delay in the last halfdozen years.

Yet coming back for yet another OK from the F.C. City Council, Insight again proved agile and successful in addressing neighborhood issues, both from residential property owners behind it on Lawton Street and from its retail neighbors, the Clare and Don’s and Thompson’s Italian restaurants and the State Theater live music venue. A new Council OK was also unanimous in the end.

Parking was one of the biggest issues, including provision for it during the construction, and the City agreed to sell to Insight its 0.7 acre parking lot at the site and negotiated parking deals with a generous Kaiser Permanente clinic across the street. Getting VDOT to OK the left turn off S. Washington was another big step.

Finally, Insight became the first of F.C.’s developers to commit up to 10 percent of its residential units to be designated “affordable.”

Insight has another major property in Falls Church, having acquired what was the Oakwood Apartments, now Falls Green, in the City.

It has properties throughout the D.C. area, going under names like Ravensworth, Elliott, Wray, Elm, Apollo, Shelby, Fenwick, Baldwin, Lockwood, Arbor Grove, Buchanan Park, Avery and more.

New projects are now underway on Columbia Pike and the Ballston areas of Arlington.

In petitioning for the zoning and special exceptions required for its Broad and Washington project (which is the name it is going by), the Insight people stressed their sense of responsibility to Falls Church given the central location of the project, which has accounted for a number of the amenities, including the Creative Cauldron space and the pedestrian friendly “Unity and Justice” plaza and major

A RENDERING of the southeast side of the Broad & Washington Project. (P����: I������ P������� G����). concessions made to keep its neighbors happy.

With its headquarters located just down the road in the Ballston area of Arlington, the company has a statement of purpose on its website that reads, “Our founders decided early in their careers to invest in Washington, D.C., and its surrounding communities.

They challenged themselves to develop places and spaces that responded to the needs of their

residents in new ways. To do so, they gathered a team of professionals committed to engaging with people and neighborhoods as well as constructing remarkable buildings. Our purpose is to provide great homes for our residents and compelling spaces for our retailers, create value for our investors, and give back to our communities. We aim to deliver thoughtfully crafted buildings that become integral to their neighborhoods.”

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Commentary

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 5

China and Russia Are Giving Authoritarianism a Bad Name because his army had smashed a Thomas L. bunch of ragtag military opponents in Syria, Georgia, Crimea Friedman and Chechnya, it could quickly NEW YORK TIMES

The last decade looked like a good one for authoritarian regimes and a challenging one for democratic ones.

Cybertools, drones, facial recognition technology and social networks seemed to make efficient authoritarians even more efficient and democracies increasingly ungovernable.

The West lost self-confidence — and both Russian and Chinese leaders rubbed it in, putting out the word that these chaotic democratic systems were a spent force.

And then a totally unexpected thing happened: Russia and China each overreached.

Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and, to his surprise, invited an indirect war with NATO and the West. China insisted that it was smart enough to have its own local solution to a pandemic, leaving millions of Chinese underprotected or unprotected and, in effect, inviting a war with one of Mother Nature’s most contagious viruses — the omicron mutation of SARS-CoV-2. It has now led China to lock down all of Shanghai and parts of 44 other cities — some 370 million people.

In short, both Moscow and Beijing find themselves suddenly contending with much more powerful and relentless forces and systems than they ever anticipated. And the battles are exposing — to the whole world and to their own people — the weaknesses of their own systems. So much so that the world now has to worry about instability in both countries.

Be afraid.

Russia is a key supplier of wheat, fertilizer, oil and natural gas for the world. And China is the origin of, or a crucial link in, thousands of global manufacturing supply chains. If Russia is locked out and China is locked down for a prolonged period, every corner of the planet will be affected. And that is no longer a remote possibility.

Let’s start with Putin. He lulled himself into thinking that

devour a country of 44 million people — Ukraine — that over the last decade had been moving to join the West and was tacitly being armed and trained

by NATO. It’s been a military and economic debacle for Russia so far. But just as important, it has exposed precisely how much Putin’s “system” is built on both lying upward — everyone telling superiors what they want to hear, all the way up to Putin — and drilling downward, tapping Russia’s natural resources, enriching a few Russians, rather than unleashing the country’s human resources and empowering the many.

Putin’s Russia is basically built on oil, lies and corruption, and that is not a resilient system.

You could see it right from the eve of the war when Putin conducted a nationally televised meeting of his top national security advisers, and none other than Sergei Naryshkin, chief of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, appeared confused over which lie Putin wanted to be told.

Putin said the eastern Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk should be allowed to become independent states, and then he polled these advisers for confirmation. But Naryshkin seemed to think Putin wanted to be told that the two provinces should be annexed to Russia. As Naryshkin stammered over the wrong answer, Putin, without a hint of irony, twice snapped at him to “speak directly” — as if that were possible anymore in Putin’s Russia. Only after Naryshkin gave Putin the lie he obviously wanted to be told did Putin snarl, “You can sit down now.”

How many Russian military officers watching that humiliation were ready to tell Putin the truth about Ukraine once the war started going badly? When the Russian military was up against foes in Georgia, Syria, Crimea and Chechnya, Russia

Continued on Page 7

Our Man in Arlington

By Charlie Clark

We knew in advance—by intuition—that breaking news would require an update of the plaque being prepared for the induction of a music recording group to the Yorktown High School Hall of Fame and Inspiration.

SOJA, the global-impact eightmember reggae band whose four founding members were Yorktown kids in the late 1990s, was selected among six acts on April 2 at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles for “Best Reggae Album.”

As a member of our high school induction committee, I had been in touch with the musicians for weeks before their promotion from “twiceGrammy-nominated” to winners.

My alma mater is fortunate to boast several globally famous alums, among them TV broadcaster Katie Couric (’75), information technology executive Eric Schmidt (’72) and Olympic swimming medal winner Tom Dolan (’93).

As in our rounds of inductions in 2004, 2008, 2014 and 2018, our panel of volunteer alums, a retired teacher and a current student strived to balance the not-always-substantive concept of fame with special accomplishments either national or local. And in our deliberations on nominations submitted over years by anyone in the Yorktown community, we leaned toward alums whose career identities come across to current-day teenaged students. It is they who pass by the plaques in the school hallway near Patriot Hall.

So I can now announce that at our May 20 evening ceremony, the

following distinguished alums will be honored: Tom Faust (’72) a three-time elected Arlington sheriff and justice innovator.

Hubert N. (Jay) Hoffman III (’62), a business executive, developer and Alexandria philanthropist.

Torri Huske (’21), last summer’s Tokyo Olympic swimming silver medalist now in the pool at Stanford University (our youngest inductee).

Mike Leinbach (’71), NASA space shuttle engineer whose memoir describes his 11 years leading the launch program, with 37 missions from 2000-11.

Tom Liljenquist (’70), jeweler and philanthropist whose collection of 5,000 original images of Civil War soldiers both Union and Confederate he gifted to the Library of Congress.

Alyson Shontell (’04), first female and youngest editor-in-chief of 92-year-old Fortune Magazine.

M.J. Stewart (’14), the first Yorktowner to make the National Football League (WashingtonLiberty and Wakefield graduated many). The defensive back who played at the University of North Carolina was recently traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Houston Texans.

Bob Witeck (’70) a nationally known Washington, D.C.-based public affairs counselor and LGBTQ activist.

The Arlington boys in SOJA, whose Grammy was awarded for their latest album “Beauty in the Silence,” include Jake Hemphill (lead vocals, guitar), Bobby “Lee” Jefferson (bass, vocals); Ryan “Byrd” Berty (drums) and Ken Brownell (percussion).

In an interview, Jefferson told me he has never forgotten their Williamsburg Middle School music teacher Eric Green “the best ever,” whose urging that Jefferson attempt a solo from Earth, Wind and Fire, “made me feel like I could actually sing.” His future bandmates fell in love with Jamaican roots reggae during the cassette era after hearing songs by Bob Marley and other trailblazers on streets downtown at Freedom Plaza, and later at such venues as the 9:30 Club. (SOJA originally stood for “Soldiers of Jah Army.”)

The fascination with creating original music “was not conducive to school work,” Jefferson said, which meant the guys did catch-up study at the Langston Community Center, though, he added, they eventually got their diplomas from Yorktown. *** Next time you hit the county fair or recreate at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center, think of its founder Constance Rollison McAdam.

The retired county Chief of Recreation and community leader died April 16 at 92.

The first female to head up the recreation division, Connie McAdam created the first senior nutrition site, at Drew Elementary School. She sponsored our first racially integrated school dance and helped launch the Arlington Agency on Aging.

After retiring, McAdam became the first woman Chair of the Arlington Chapter of the American Red Cross and was named Woman of the Year by the Arlington Community Foundation.

PAGE 6 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4. 2022

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E D I TO R I A L

A Budget for a World Class City

The Fiscal Year 2023 budget for the City of Falls Church, at over $100 million certainly not the biggest in the region, but it sets a moral standard for responsible local government that takes care to address the range of priorities and needs from individual taxpayers, to seniors and others on fixed incomes, to sustainably quality schools, excellent local government and services, including for ongoing transportation and walkability demands, and the need for continued robust economic development to insure strong revenue growth going forward.

Attention to fair and responsible salaries for City and school employees, and a $15 per hour minimum wage took a center policy role. But the biggest single factor was to mitigate the impact of the region’s booming growth on local taxpayers with what looks like will be the biggest cut in the real estate tax rate ever for the Little City, a cut of 9 cents to $1.23 per $100 of assessed valuation, down from $1.32 at present and from $1.355 a year ago.

That lower rate will still mean that City residents will still be paying more in net tax dollars than a year ago, about $600 on average. But the Council was responsive to the urging of the City’s Economic Development Authority and Chamber of Commerce to cancel a proposed modest use of its taxing authority for commercial and industrial interests, looking elsewhere to find the $420,000 a new tax would have brought in. This leaves the City as the only jurisdiction in the entire region that continues to eschew the use of that tax, which localities were authorized to levy at their discretion by the General Assembly in 2013. It reflects the sophisticated realization that has been governing policy making in this Little City for the last quarter century. It is a realization that says the kind of world quality educational system the City now offers, including its new $120 million state-of-the-art high school campus and a full K-12 International Baccalaureate curriculum with highly talented teachers to execute it, is made possible by a level of commitment to quality economic development that, in fact, is continuing to happen along the City’s commercial corridors.

It is no coincidence that the new high school, now completed on time and under budget, has been built aside the old one, which was able to be demolished to make room for 10 acres of high-density mixed use development about to begin. That was highly deliberate, and now the development that’s going to come will pay for that new school and all its amenities.

Those who’ve been around here a while, and paying attention, know this already, but it bears repeating that this is a phenomenal bit of local governing, and there’s a lot more associated with it, too.

Falls Church’s growing population, now about 15,000 and rising, is and will in the coming period enjoy living in an increasingly, truly world class Little City.

P������� 1. Keep the news clean and fair.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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Ideas For Budget Surplus Editor, According to an article on the proposed cut in property taxes, it was noted that the City is “awash in cash.” I have a few ideas for how the money could be put to good use for all the residents, not just homeowners.

I’ve been living in the City since 2000. Since the Great Recession’s belt-tightening, we lost a full-time Fire Marshall, and along with that, bi-annual inspections of all apartment complexes to ensure residents have safe living conditions. Let’s reinstitute that process.

Let’s create a Chief Accessibility Office, or similar, with a charge to make sure that residents with mobility issues are taken into consideration in physical infrastructure. Require the head of that office to traverse our sidewalks using a walker and a wheelchair, especially in wet or icy weather, so they can understand how dangerous the “pretty” brick walks are for all but the most able-bodied, especially when bricks pop out. Or see how hard it is to get around on sidewalks narrowed by outdoor dining spaces. There are some stretches where sidewalk width no longer meets ADA requirements for wheelchair access. Improve the lighting along N. Maple, N. Lee, and N. Oak, which are almost pitch black after dark.

That office should also assign one or more staff to drive around the City and check for all the bushes and trees encroaching on already narrow sidewalks. Give property owners, business and residential, one written warning to trim the foliage, and follow up 48 hours later. If needed,

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trim the offending foliage and bill the owner. That will be an incentive to do the work themselves in the future, plus it will actually clear the walks.

Chris Raymond Falls Church

Video Games and Violence Editor, Video games over the last couple years have gotten a lot of backlash, but that is not new. Ever since video games have existed, there has been one thing parents and the government have complained about. That video games cause violence. That is even the whole reason we have the esrb (Game rating which is a whole different thing). But guess what, they don’t cause violence. Over 28 studies of violent video games on boys and girls show no voicence to other people after playing video games.

One of the studies done by the Royal society said, “At this time, there is no link between video games playing and violence.” Now why do people think that video games cause violence? Well because they want to blame something. When their kids do something bad, they want to blame video games as the cause, not other stuff like stress or underlying conditions. They want to blame the thing on the screen, not the kid or themselves. Now this is not to say that you should give a 4 year old Call Of Duty. But the underlying point I am trying to say is that video games do not cause violence, and there are no current studies showing that they do cause violence.

Zachary Napoli Falls Church

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Editor’s Essay

CO MME NT

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 7

The Press’ Signal Role Exposing Putin’s Crimes in Ukraine Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Tuesday this week is being touted as a turning point in the Russian invasion of U k r a i n e .

A meeting was held in Germany involving over 40 nations aligning with Ukraine, NATO and Europe against the criminal, murderous, unprovoked aggression of Putin. If Putin thought that his invasion would drive a wedge into NATO and its allies generally, it has not turned out that way. On the contrary, as Gen. Mark Milley said in an interview Tuesday, the world’s nations, including non-Western powerhouses like Japan and

Australia, are now more resolutely united against a common foe than at any time since the end of World War II. Gen. Milley was right to take time at the onset of his interview to thank CNN and the Western news media in general for its indispensable role in this development. Truly, it has been the images of the Russian assault as televised by CNN and the others, that have catalyzed so strongly this new global alliance against such a crass and inhuman assault.

This cannot be stressed enough. It was and is the media, the free press, which has proven indispensable to this end, despite its relatively minor flaws. Who knew it would be the pen, and not the sword alone, that in the end would save civilization! Let that buoy up the morale of the Fourth Estate, which always manages to take more than a fair share of lumps in the struggle against tyranny, even as, for example, CNN’s David Culver, a product

of Northern Virginia who just a couple years ago was dodging snowballs reporting on the weather for a local Washington D.C. area news show, now is reporting so brilliantly from behind his locked doors during the latest Chinese Covid lockdown in Shanghai.

Among Putin’s extreme miscalculations, it seems, is his apparent perception that the media in the West was sufficiently discredited by his agent Trump and that pathetic movement of his as to be rendered ineffective in the face of pro-Moscow counter narratives. Putin has apparently believed that his own media blitz through his agencies of influence in the West, including Trump and Fox News, would work to counterveill honest reporting by legitimate news organizations such that the net result would be confusion and discord everywhere.

But no way. Legitimacy has carried the day in the media of

the non-Putin world, strengthened by the courageous reporting and filming of the Russian invasion by scores of honest and dedicated journalists. This cannot be taken for granted. It is the signal strength of democracies, and has also shined in its greatest test since World War II, not that I was around then, myself.

I was born just months before D-Day in 1944, and the same week that I happened, one of America’s great newspapermen, William Allen White, died. I had a passion for newspapering from my earliest days, creating my own newspaper in my bedroom with the help of a hectograph (who remembers them?) acquired by means of no small arm twisting by my mom at the school dispensary in our small California fishing town. My headline of a boy falling off our town pier helped me sell those papers to about a dozen neighbors whose homes I went around to at a nickel apiece.

I’ve often started talks at local Rotaries, etc., by recalling that and, in light of my now 30 years running my own weekly general interest newspaper, by saying “Either I was born with printer’s ink in my veins, or I’ve just never grown up.” The standard reply was “probably a little of both.”

News, accurate news, was in all our veins coming out of World War II, and even as there’s been no shortage of lying and deceit by public officials ever since, the careers of Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite and their like were built on a popular national patriotic zeal for truth telling in the press.

As hard as Putin’s Trump tried to discredit the “lying” U.S. press during his four years in the White House, it failed to stick much beyond his own lunatic fringe element, such that the important coverage in Ukraine is now again saving democracy.

Commentary

China and Russia Are Giving Authoritarianism a Bad Name Continued from Page 5

could just indiscriminately bomb its way out of any problem. But now that Putin’s military has found itself in a war with Ukraine’s highly motivated army and its homegrown weapons industry, backed with some of NATO’s best precision weapons and training, the rot has really started to show.

Russia’s tank and logistic forces were mauled into multiple junkyards of burning hulks in western Ukraine.

And it is impossible to exaggerate how incompetent the Russian navy had to be to allow the command warship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva missile cruiser, to be so badly damaged, reportedly by two Ukrainian-made anti-ship cruise missiles, called Neptunes, that the Moskva sank into the sea off Ukraine last week — the biggest loss of a naval ship in battle in 40 years.

For the Russian flagship in charge of coordinating all of the air defenses for the flotilla, and itself carrying 64 S-300F Rif air defense missiles, to be taken out by enemy anti-ship missiles had to

have been the result of a cascade of systems failures in detection and response to an attack.

Moreover, Neptune missiles are not necessarily “ship killers.”

They were more likely designed to be “mission killers” — to disable the radar and electronics of sophisticated ships like the Moskva — not specifically sink them.

So I pity the commander who had to tell Putin that Russia’s meanest, monstrous warship in the Black Sea, rumored to have been his favorite, had been sunk by a Ukrainian missile fired in war for the first time.

China is a much more serious country than Russia: It is not built on oil, lies and corruption (though it has plenty of the latter), but on the hard work and manufacturing talents of its people, directed by a top-down, iron-fisted but eagerto-learn-from-abroad Chinese Communist Party. At least, eager in the past to learn, but less so lately.

China’s economic success, and the sense of pride it has generated, seems to have lulled its leadership into thinking it could basically

go it alone against a pandemic.

By producing its own vaccines, rather than importing better ones from the West, and by repurposing its highly efficient system of authoritarian surveillance and control to curb travel, do mass testing and quarantine any individuals or neighborhoods where Covid-19 appeared, China bet on a “zero Covid” policy. If it could get through the pandemic with fewer deaths and a more open economy, it would be another signal to the world — a big signal — that Chinese communism was superior to American democracy.

But Beijing, while scoffing at the West, became shockingly negligent about vaccinating its own elderly. That did not matter as much when China was able to stem the spread of earlier variants of the coronavirus with tight population controls. But now it matters, because China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines appear not nearly as effective against omicron as the mRNA vaccines made in the West, although they still are effective at reducing hospitalization and death. In China today, more than 130 million people “aged 60

and above are either unvaccinated or have received fewer than three doses,” putting them “in greater danger of developing severe Covid symptoms or dying if they contract the virus,” The Financial Times recently reported, citing a University of Hong Kong study.

This has led Beijing to opt for that total lockdown of Shanghai, which has been so poorly managed that residents have reportedly had to scramble for food.

Dr. David L. Katz, a U.S. public health and preventive medicine expert who wrote one of the most prescient early essays about managing Covid at the onset, explained to me that the problem with having the kind of draconian lockdown policy that China maintained is that you are guaranteeing that your population develops little native immunity from having acquired and survived the virus.

So, Katz said, if the virus mutates globally, as it did with omicron, and you have “a less than effective vaccine, virtually no natural immunity in the population, and millions of elderly unvaccinated, you’re in a bad place and there is no easy way out.”

You can’t fool around with or propagandize away Mother Nature; she’s merciless.

The moral of this story? Highcoercion authoritarian systems are low-information systems — so they often drive blind more than they realize. And even when the truth filters up, or reality in the form of a more powerful foe or Mother Nature slams them in the face so hard it can’t be ignored, their leaders find it hard to change course because their claims to the right to be presidents-for-life rest on their claims to infallibility. And that is why Russia and China are both now struggling.

I am worried sick about our own democratic system. But as long as we can still vote out incompetent leaders and maintain information ecosystems that will expose systemic lying and defy censorship, we can adapt in an age of rapid change — and that is the single most important competitive advantage a country can have today.

By Thomas L. Friedman © 2022 The New York Times

PAGE 8 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

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CO MME NT A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

I RAN INTO SHERYL on S. Maple Ave while she was walking her dog Simon. Working in International Agriculture Development in West Africa, she and her family found their way to Falls Church after being displaced by a hurricane. They eventually settled in the Winter Hill community where their daughter will be graduating from Meridian High School this summer. (P����: J. M������ W�����)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is a national nonprofit organization that has provided more than 420 million books to children in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico since its founding in 1966. The literacy crisis that was identified decades ago, sadly, continues with today’s young generations, and RIF volunteers collect, and distribute, thousands of age-appropriate books to children in our community every year. The RIF table at Culmore Community Day at the Woodrow Wilson Library on Saturday was overrun by eager children ready to find their favorite author or character in the pages of hundreds of free donated books. Little eyes gleamed as they hugged the precious books to their chests, ready to dash home and settle in for new adventures via the printed word, limited only by their own imaginations.

The power of books and reading is enormous, and often taken for granted – until there is an effort to restrict what can be read and who can read it. Banning books long has been a technique used by those who express outrage about content, or seek to control the activities of other people. Perhaps the real issue is fear – instilling fear in others simply because they can, or fear of ideas, because they simply have none of their own. Curiously, some of the targeted books are popular classics: “The Kite Runner” and “A Lesson Before Dying” were among the ones selected for the “All Fairfax Reads” program a few years ago. Both highlight human struggles and relationships, albeit in vastly different realms; the former an inside look at Afghan history and culture, the latter a somewhat uncomfortable story about race, the American legal system in the post-World War II south, and eventual redemption. As with most books assigned in classrooms, both selections were accompanied by a discussion guide that provided context and opportunity for the reader, and enhanced the experience.

Parents have every right to monitor what their own children may read, but they shouldn’t have the right to restrict what other children may read. Growing

up, I loved to read, even the time-honored practice of using a flashlight under the covers to read just a few more pages before sleep. Books could take me to countries and cultures around the world, into fairy tales, mythology, or Shakespeare. Looking back, those classics may have gender and situational issues that, today, could invoke the ire of parents and school boards alike, but cooler heads must prevail, allowing and encouraging youth to explore the many doors that books can open.

Math classes always challenged me as a kid, but I never considered that math books should be banned because of “modeling concepts” or “polynomials.” In removing a number of math texts from classrooms, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that he “wanted children to learn to think, and get the right answer.” I suspect that all teachers want their students to learn to think, and also to get the right answer. The right answer for an arithmetic problem is easy and straightforward, but solving algebra, calculus, and trigonometry problems takes more complex thought processes, something that may be lacking for Mr. DeSantis, despite his Harvard and Yale education.

Reading is fundamental – for everyone. There was a time, not so long ago, when most people (especially women) did not have the opportunity to learn to read.

Fortunately, most Americans have access to a public school education where reading is valued and recognized as a basic necessity for everyday life. We cannot stand by, or sit back, when government officials try to restrict access to books – classroom texts, storybooks, scientific manuals, young adult graphic novels, or any other legitimate published materials. Some content may not be of interest, but defense of that content, and everyone’s right to read it, is a worthy, and winnable, fight.  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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CR IM E R EPO RT Week of April 18 - 24, 2022 Commercial Burglary, Wilson Blvd, Apr 19, 12:23 AM, officers responded to a commercial alarm and determined that a business had been burglarized. Two subjects were seen on security video wearing all dark clothing, hoodies and wearing medical type masks. The subjects gained entry to the business but fled before police arrived. Detectives were notified and processed the scene. Investigation continues.

Larceny, E Broad St, Apr 19, between 9:40 PM and 10:30 PM, unknown suspect(s) took an unsecured red Trex bicycle.

Shoplifting, S Washington St, Apr 20, 8:30 PM, unknown suspect described as a 40-50 YOA female, 5’08”, 100 to 150 lbs, with dark hair and wearing a gray sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes took items of value without paying. Last seen entering a taxi.

Larceny from Vehicle, Wilson Blvd, between 11 PM, Apr 20 and

7 AM, Apr 21, items of value were taken from an unsecured vehicle.

Fraud, Timber Ln, Apr 21, 11:06 AM, an incident of fraud was reported.

Larceny from Vehicle, S Virginia Ave, between 6 PM, Apr 20 and 8 AM, Apr 21, unknown suspect(s) removed the catalytic converter from a Toyoto Prius.

Drunk in Public, Hillwood Ave/ Douglass Ave, Apr 23, 12:57 PM, a female, 62, of no fixed address, was arrested for Drunk in Public.

PAGE 9 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

Fa l l s C h u r c h Business News & Notes No New Commercial and Industrial Property Tax The City Council cast their votes unanimously against the proposed Commercial and Industrial (C & I) Tax Monday evening. City Manager Wyatt Shields reported strong opposition to the new tax by the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Authority.

Councilwoman Lian made the motion to deny adoption, seconded by Ms. Schantz Hiscott. This tax was intended to provide new revenue toward transportation improvements alone. Both organizations and individual property owners cited bad timing given the challenges that businesses have faced with the pandemic and current economic climate as well as the potential for increased taxes in the future, threatening the City’s business-friendly reputation.

Small Business Grants to Open Monday The City of Falls Church Economic Development Office will be offering a final round of small business grants with updated eligibility requirements on Monday, May 2nd! The application period will end on May 13th. Eligible businesses and non-profit organizations may apply for a grant of $5,000 from the City of Falls Church American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund to use for Covid-19 related expenses. Businesses and non-profits may now be eligible if they previously received city, state, or federal financial assistance including Economic Development Authority (EDA) micro grants or PPP loans. The $5,000 grant must be used for expenses directly related to the impacts of Covid-19 such as rent or mortgage payments, retaining and/or supporting employees, restoring financial resiliency, increasing technology capacity to enable alternative work forms, and more!

To learn more about the grant program and eligibility requirements, visit fallschurchva.gov/grants.

To be notified when the application is available, sign up at https://mailchi.mp/fallschurchva/arpa.

Acquisition Next: Artificial Intelligence George Mason University’s Center for Government Contracting and the Institute for Digital InnovAtion are co-hosting a symposium focused on the challenges and current practices for government acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. This event will be of interest to professionals seeking to increase their knowledge of AI-related issues in government acquisition, including members of government, business and academia. The symposium is scheduled for May 5, 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at 3351 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington. Register at this link: https://idia. gmu.edu/events/acquisition-next-artificial-intelligence/

Drug Take Back Day on Saturday The Falls Church Police Department will host a collection of old and unwanted medications as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Take Back Day. Accepted materials include tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription or non-prescriptions drugs. Vaping devices and cartridges are accepted, provided lithium batteries are removed. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. The public can safely and anonymously drop off potentially dangerous prescription drugs and/or unwanted or expired over-the-counter medications on April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At the site near the police entrance outside city hall (300 Park Ave.).

Local Restaurants Participate in Women’s History Walk Sunday The Falls Church Women’s History Walk is this Sunday, May 1, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. as a selfguided 2-mile loop with docents available at four locations: City Hall, Mr. Brown’s Park, Tinner Hill Historic Park and Big Chimneys Park. The annual event honors those women who saw a need and found a way to make the community better since its founding in 1699, to include pioneers, abolitionists, educators, entrepreneurs, politicians, historians, artists, and activists. Their stories will be shared on signs at Herstory Stations along the walk which will carry a QR code that links to the Falls Church Women’s History Group website. Meet the Honorary Grand Marshals this year, Sally Cole, Cindy Mester, Ruth Rodgers, Edie Smolinski and Derrica Wilson. The following local restaurants are also participating with specials: Borek-G, The Happy Tart, La Tingeria, Paisano’s, Pho 88 and Preservation Biscuit. Disturbingly Delicious is offering a special sauce for purchase at the Farmer’s Market or the shop. The Walk is presented by the Women of Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, Falls Church Elected Women, Falls Church Women’s History Group.

 Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschcurchchamber.org.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Mustangs Baseball Dominates on Senior Night, Soccer Snags Win As WELL

by Ryan McCafferty Falls Church News-Press

Playing in front of a packed audience for Senior Night, the Mustangs’ varsity baseball team sure looked as if they were playing with some extra incentive as they rolled over visiting Manassas Park on Friday night.

Senior pitcher Alexander

Gorman-Dorsey was locked in as he made the visitors’ first inning a quick one, and then senior third baseman Thomas Downs opened the scoring as he hit senior outfielder Jack Biggs home.

Meridian was able to score four runs before Manassas Park recorded a single out, and took that same 4-0 advantage into the next frame.

Gorman-Dorsey did his job once

again and the Mustangs tallied up five more runs to break the game open, and the rest was merely a formality.

The lead expanded to 13-0 in the fourth and would remain as such as no fifth inning was required for the home team. Gorman-Dorsey was relieved by sophomore Grant Greiner for the final three outs.

Across the field, the boys soc-

cer team also faced Manassas Park, and also came away with the victory. Their game was much tighter, however, as neither team scored in the first half and it remained knotted at 0-0 until the visitors scored with 28:18 remaining in the second half.

Senior Matthew Hellert was able to answer almost immediately at 27:52 to even things up again,

and then the Mustangs took the lead on a penalty shot with 17:10 to go.

Junior goaltender Inigo Diz did the rest of the work, as the 2-1 score would hold until the clock hit zeroes.

Both teams will travel to Brentsville for their next games, which are set to occur next Tuesday evening.

Falls Church Little League: Featured ‘Game of the Week’

by Erika Toman

Griffin W. came back from a multi-week injury to lead the Gray Grandpas (Coach Wishrad, sponsor TischlerBise, Inc.) to victory Saturday, April 23. He was the team’s starting pitcher and brushed off any concerns of a lingering injury by only allowing three hits and two runs over three innings while striking out five batters. Asher S. also had a strong performance across three innings by giving up

only one hit and one run while striking out three.

The Gray Grandpas team was led by triples from Griffin W. and Gavin H. as well as singles by Luke U., Henry U. and Lucas M. Gavin also chalked up three stolen bases.

For the Grizzlies (Coach Abel, sponsor Inkling Communications), Christopher T. continued his strong performance this season with two hits, a run and an RBI. On the mound, he struck out two in one inning pitched.

Isaac F. was a shining star for the Grizzlies by getting on base during each at bat as well as making a great play while manning second base. Bryce A. led things off on the mound for the Grizzlies and the pitcher gave up three runs on no hits over two innings, striking out three.

While they ultimately came up short, the Grizzlies also had hits

by Henry A., Reid E., Cole B. and Noah W. All of the FCKLL baseball teams will be in action this week.

PICTURED HERE: Griffin W. AND Isaac F.

(Photo: Erika Toman &

Whitney Owen)

Fa l l s C h u r c h

School News & Notes FCCPS Congratulates 2022 Award Winners FCCPS is pleased to announce the winners of the employee awards. All four winners were selected after review and voting by a panel of judges. The winners were surprised with a giant check from the Falls Church Education Foundation.

Falls Church Education Foundation Teacher of the Year — Jennifer Jayson, Math Teacher Meridian High School.

Professional Specialist of the Year — Jennifer Fessenden, PreK-12 Mathematics Coordinator, Systemwide.

Support Staff Employee of the Year — Operations — Sindy Morel, Assistant Director of Food Services.

Support Staff Employee of the Year — Academic — Alane O’Neill, Technology Aide, Oak Street Elementary School.

All nominees and the awards winners will be recognized at the FCCPS Celebration of Excellence on May 12, 2022, at

4:15 p.m. at Meridian High School.

Mustang Soccer Honors Coach Spinello The Mustang boys varsity soccer team has unveiled new banners made by players to honor the career of Varsity Coach Frank Spinello, who will be retiring at the end of the season after 22 years and 11 state championship titles to date. The green banner depicts the year of each state championship won under his leadership.

ANGC Fundraising Auction May 1 Preparation for the annual All Night Grad Celebration is in full swing! Save the date for our big fundraising event at Clare and Don’s on Sunday, May 1, from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Come for dinner and bid on some fantastic silent auction items! Bidding opens

at 3:00 and will end at 5:30. All proceeds from this event will be shared between ANGC and the Meridian PTSA. If you have items to donate, please email meridianhsangc@gmail.com.

Order Your MHS Yearbook Now The MHS yearbook captures the heart of everyday life at Meridian High School and will give you something to look back on for years to come. Yearbooks are $88 and can be purchased via the link in Tuesday’s edition of the Morning Announcements. Yearbook copies are disappearing quickly, so make sure to place your order as soon as possible. The last day to order online is May 1st, 2022.

If available, the remaining copies will be sold at the distribution site for $100.

Spring Chorus Concert and Community Sing

THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS basketball team recognized Meridian High School senior Ashly Penate-Soria for her essay in the inaugural Edwin B. Henderson essay contest for Black History Month. She had the opportunity to meet the team and got a signed jersey. (Photo: FCCPS) Meridian’s spring choir concert is Thursday, May 12th, at 7 p.m., and the community is invited to sing with the choir! This year, the Community Sing will be the last song before intermission. The song is “Sanctuary” by Jason Robert Brown. This song was written in March of 2020, and as we continue to move forward, we want to look at that time with gratitude for those that provided sanctuary in

our isolation.

Both Meridian choirs are learning this piece, and there will be solo sections. There will be three rehearsals for community members: Falls Church City faculty and staff, Falls Church City residents, family members of current Meridian choir members, Meridian choir alumni, etc. Please share this information with all you think might be interested.

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APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 11

Robotics Team Builds Strong Legacy of Community Outreach

by Alex Russell

Falls Church News-Press

In the world of extracurricular, team-based activities, largely contingent on organized athletics or outdoor activity, robotics presents a unique opportunity for kids to pool their knowledge and skills into creating and operating their very own robot.

The Little City’s own FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1418, “Vae Victis,” has exemplified this dynamic since its founding in 2004

by John Ballou — he is now retired from FCCPS but nonetheless hopes to return as a volunteer. Cricket Moore, with years of experience in civic involvement, joined on as Ballou’s aide-de-camp and fellow team coach in 2005.

Thinking back to the pair’s years leading the team, Moore says that “[John] did the building and planning [and] I did the clerical stuff,” such as the handling of finances and travel itineraries — as competitions often took place outside of the Northern VA area.

From the very beginning, Team 1418 was not on any usual path because, according to Moore, “the original team was made up of the stage crew.” International Baccalaureate (IB) kids and “computer studies kids” would soon fill out the ranks. The team’s artistic “genes” would be made apparent time and again, especially when it came to designing competitionthemed t-shirts.

Mentor Don Brobst, who started with the team in 2009, talked about the subjects and methodology inherent in robotics, outlining that they “teach hard skills, like programming, pneumatics (relating to the branch of engineering that utilizes pressurized gas to control physical systems),” but that there is also a simultaneous focus on “soft skills, like project management.”

The long-standing robotics team is only a portion of a larger robotics community, whose competitions and other events are organized and run by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a non-profit youth organization founded by Dean Kamen with the goal of supporting and inspiring students whose passions lie in engineering and technology.

In the team’s immediate geographic context, they are part of the larger Maryland, D.C., and Virginia district, but FIRST events and programs extend to all fifty states — this year’s World Championship took place in Texas — and incorporates

teams from all over the world.

Brobst stated that throughout the team’s long history, “there have been kids who only wanted to do the safety design, or do the t-shirt design,” making the robotics endeavor into a larger “project” extending beyond science and technology, further underscoring that the group is an “inclusive team with a lot of different skills.” He added that “there’s something for everybody; they don’t all need to be engineers.”

Moore echoed this sentiment when she spoke about the volunteering aspect of making Team 1418 run smoothly. “We need all kinds of volunteers, not just people who know how to build a robot out of nuts and bolts.”

In the early days, volunteering duties would see Moore and “two inarticulate kids named Andrew” standing in the driveway to the weekly farmer’s market, getting donations that way.

“By the end of the three weeks, the boys could look adults in the eye and engage in complete conversations.” Fundraising soon took the form of bake sales and raffles at back-to-school nights. Moore also mentioned the support of Janice Nette, whose sons were once members of the team. Netter was an “on-site mentor, collecting checks from kids and donors, coming to every activity.” At one point, she hand-quilted two bed-sized, robotics-themed quilts — with the high school’s signature colors of red, white, and black — which were then raffled off for about a thousand dollars apiece. Later on, the team would organize several pumpkin patch fundraising events until Covid-19 put a pause on social gatherings.

Throughout the team’s fundraising endeavors, there came a point when Moore realized that “we needed to get the school system involved.”

“The superintendent let [us] have a school bus for the 50th anniversary [alumni reunion] tour of various George Mason High School classes,” allowing Moore and some of the robotics kids, along with a few empty bottled water jugs to hold donations, to explain the function and benefits of participating in robotics to the alumni — and raise money that way. According to Moore, once the money had been counted, Ballou noted that things had gone “better than a bake sale.”

Moore remains grateful for the school system’s support, saying that FCCPS “has been very good to us.”

Thanks in part to the funds set aside by the school system “for scientific

endeavors…we’ve become a powerhouse of the district.”

Team 1418 has also benefited from “mentors from the industry,” with professionals from companies like BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Leidos spending time with the team, or giving the team grants. Ballou shared that the creators of the coding language Python were also big supporters of the team, long before Python became a widelyused programming tool.

Talking about FIRST’s core ideal of “gracious professionalism,” Moore remembered how the team “won the gracious professionalism award [in competition] several times,” personifying and emphasizing the importance of helping “the person who’s competing against you if they need help.”

Even though the season ended last month, Steve Knight, the current FIRST robotics coach, underscored the importance of continuing outreach in the community.

Part of the outreach work incorporates hosting workshops at Team 1418’s homebase, Meridian High School. Brobst explained that “not all the [district] teams have the same level of mentors, so we started a workshop [with] about ten different training sessions,” back in 2009.

Turnout was good, as “about a hundred people” attended that first workshop.

“Over the years, the amount of people and teams who attended went up.” The last in-person workshop was in 2019; due to health considerations, the team would proceed to host virtual ones, with the number of topics pared down. “Hopefully, if all goes well, we’ll have an in-person one [this year].”

Because FRC 1418 is a studentled team, returning members help out by mentoring new additions to the group — and that was “one of our biggest challenges this year…only two” students were able to return to the team; “[almost] everyone else was new,” says Knight. Ballou concurred, saying that “because of Covid, this year’s team is a rookie team.” He hopes that people can “appreciate how hard it is to come into [this].”

Team 1418, Knight adds, is “meeting every week now,” and official “recruitment begins in May.” When the next school year begins, the team will continue “talking about outreach” opportunities, as well as fundraising plans.

Alexa Zurcher, who was the drive team coach last season, has been working with team captain Bobby Miller “to create a presentation…

Pictured here is the latest iteration of Meridian High School’s robotics team, with team captain Bobby Miller and drive team coach Alexa Zurcher. (Photo: Alexa Zurcher,) for the school board,” which is set to occur in City Council Chambers on Tuesday, May 10. “[This] will help us…give the staff more information on our team altogether.” Financing will also be discussed.

Around the same time, Zurcher says that the team will “start trying to recruit middle schoolers,” as FIRST robotics competitions only allow “high schoolers, and so gaining as many newcomers as possible for next year will greatly help the team.”

She plans on going to “the 8th grade science classrooms at Mary Ellen Henderson in a couple of weeks.”

Speaking more on new additions to the group, Zurcher explained how there is a “pre-season where we…teach some of the newcomers how to program and use different motors. This way, when the build season starts, they will be caught up on how they can help build the robot. This pre-season will…start in a month or so, so we will begin to teach some of the 8th graders then.”

Now is especially a time for reflection. Brobst touched on how “if the robots have to climb, we have…a lot of suggestions from the kids on how to better get the robot to climb…feedback from the kids [regarding] wanting more responsibility” is also received, which in turn demands “more time needed to practice” with, and fine-tune, the robot.

The first Saturday in January is when FIRST unveils the competition theme for that season.

“Every year there is a new game,” says Moore, with “three or four tasks.” For example, a team’s robot may need to show its capacity for “throwing something into increasingly higher receptacles,” or “pushing an exercise ball” off a surface.

“Climbing steps and hanging from bars at several heights” is among the more difficult tasks and is worth extra points during competition.

For the first fifteen seconds of an event, “the robot is autonomous,” relying on its coded instruction.

For the remainder of the match, “the kids take over from behind the glass,” telling the robot what to do with game controllers.

Weeks of planning, organization, coding, and building culminate in a random selection of various teams squaring off in timed events, “three teams against three teams.” But Moore comes back to the idea of gracious professionalism as something that hovers over everything in robotics. “[It’s about] building a robot to make a team, instead of [having] a team make a robot…it’s a character-building program.”

Robotics Team 1418 will be present at this year’s Memorial Day celebration on Monday, May 30, beginning at F.C. City Hall and Community Center Grounds (300 Park Avenue) from 9 a.m. — 5 p.m.

To learn more about Falls Church robotics Team 1418, visit 1418.team.

They can also be found on Instagram @1418roboticsmhs and on Twitter @Robotics1418.

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Creative Ideas to Celebrate Mother’s Day

by Amanda Snead

Falls Church News-Press

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and if you’re still looking for something to do to treat the mom in your life, here are just a few ideas.

1. Spend time outdoors in the Little City.

Falls Church has plenty of beautiful parks that are perfect for picnics or if you’re looking for something involving more fitness, take your bikes out on the W&OD trail. Fill your picnic basket with local goodies like sandwiches from Lazy Mike’s and desserts from Bakeshop. The weather seems to finally be warming up and now is the perfect time to get outside!

2. Explore museums Looking to get out of the City for a bit? Hop on the Metro and visit one of the many museums that the Smithsonian has to offer. If you have an art

lover in your life, stop by the Hirshorn for their newly opened Yayoi Kusama exhibit “One With Eternity.” Passes will be distributed on the Hirshhorn’s plaza every open day beginning at 9:30 a.m. until all the day’s passes have been claimed. Each person over the age of 12 may claim up to two passes, based on availability. Children ages 12 and under do not need a Timed Pass if they are accompanied by an adult passholder. Each adult passholder may bring up to two children inside the exhibition and each Infinity Mirror Room.

3. Attend a concert Head back to the 80’s with a concert by the Legwarmers at State Theater on Saturday, May 7. Dress up in your best 80’s attire and dance to your favorite songs. Note that this show is 21+ and all tickets are general admission. Not into 80’s music? There’s live music in and around the City for any and every type of genre. Check

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

LEGWARMERS AT STATE THEATER on Saturday, May 7th. (Courtesy Photo). out our calendar in print and online weekly to see what bands and musicians are performing locally.

4. Visit a winery or brewery Grab a bottle of local wine and enjoy the views at one of many local wineries in the Northern Virginia wine area.

The Winery at Bull Run will have a special Mother’s Day menu from the Paella & Tapas Place from 12 — 8 p.m. and live music from 1 — 5 p.m.

Rocklands Farm Winery will have three food vendors for Mother’s Day as well as live music and are open from 12 — 6 p.m. Looking for a tour? Vino

MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL

Limited release Carrot Turmeric Hot Sauce to celebrate* the Falls Church Women's History Walk this Sunday.

Available at the Farmer's Market this Saturday, special store hours Sunday 11-2. *All profits from the sale of this sauce will be donated to the Falls Church Women's History Group.

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455 South Maple Avenue

Virginia Wine Tours “offers an off-the-beaten path experience, illuminating the historical, cultural, and natural uniqueness of the Commonwealth while touring select wineries. Led by State Certified Tour Ambassadors, guests are introduced to the richness Virginia offers but is often missed or overlooked.”

5. Attend an event Fever has tons of events happening in DC every week from candlelit concerts to immersive experiences and more. They are currently hosting the Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience, Van Gogh: the Immersive Experience, Dining in the Dark:

A Unique Blindfolded Dining Experience and much more.

Regardless of her interests, there’s definitely something she’ll want to go to.

6. Go for a hike There are plenty of hiking opportunities in Virginia whether you want to stay in the City or visit the mountains.

Pimmit Run Trail is nearby and open year-round. The trail is 7.5 miles, dog friendly and good for biking or walking. If you’re looking to go out of town, check out the trails at Shenandoah National Park. If you’re looking for a waterfall hike, check out Doyles River Falls.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Spend Quality Time With Your Mom Continued from Page 12

7. Get mani/pedis Spend a relaxing day and treat yourselves to manicures and pedicures at your favorite nail salon to kick off sandal season and the spring weather. Nothing In Between Studio offers non-toxic nail services, free from harmful ingredients such as DBP, formaldehyde and toluene. Their Falls Church location offers manicures and pedicures and their Tyson’s location offers massages in addition to nail services.

8. Visit the Farmer’s Market The Falls Church Farmer’s Market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the perfect place to pick up a last minute gift or some ingredients to cook a Mother’s Day meal! There are also plenty of other local farmers markets if you can’t attend this one. Mosaic District has markets on Thursdays and Sundays.

9. Take a camping trip Whether you pitch a tent in your backyard or rent a camper and travel, camping is a great way to get out of the house and off of your phones to spend time connecting with each other and nature. Yogi Bear’s

Jellystone Park camps are great for families with small children as they offer lots of recreational activities with locations in Virginia and Maryland. For something closer, try Lake Fairfax Park Campground or Prince William Forest Campground. You can also add the hikes mentioned above to your camping itinerary.

10. See a theater performance The Northern Virginia area is lucky to have many incredible theaters nearby, including many right here in the Little City!

NOVA Nightsky will be putting on “Proof” on May 6th and 7th and Creative Cauldron will be performing “Into the Woods” beginning Thursday, May 5th. Not only is this a great way to get out of the house and see a performance, but also a great opportunity to support the local arts.

11. Take family photos When was the last time you had professional family photos taken? When was the last time you even printed a family photo?

Why not hire someone to take photos that your family will cherish for years to come.

Many photographers also offer special rates for “mini” sessions for holidays such as Mother’s Day so make sure to check them out.

Please pre-order online 48 hours in advance.

OPEN SUNDAY MAY 8

Lemon Raspberry Buns lemon zest, raspberry, uffy yeasted rolls, tangy lemon cream cheese icing 6 / $27

Proof & Bake Cinnamon Buns baking instructions & frosting included 6 buns / $26.50

Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes strawberry buttermilk cake, spa sparkling champagne buttercream 6 Mini Cupcakes / $15 cupcakes + bottle of Brut Rose Cava / $30

Italian Feather Loaf / $7.50 Honey IPA Rolls 6 / $10

Chocolate Cream Pie homemade oreo crust, chocolate custard, whipped cream 9" / $36

Ham, Gruyere & Spinach Asparagus & Goat Cheese

Breakfast in Bed Box I each of the following : Blueberry Crunch Muffin Strawberries & Cream Muffin Cranberry Ginger Scone Cheddar Chive Scone Chocolate Croissant $19

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9" / $34

BRUT ROSE CAVA I00% Pinot Noir $20

+ GIFTS FOR MOM • Whole Bean Coffee • Northside Merch • Loose Leaf Tea & Accessories • Bottles of Wine • Northside Gift Cards

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 13

PAGE 14 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

R E STAUR A NT SPOTLI GHT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CINCO DE MAYO will take place on May 5th and is the perfect time to support your favorite local restaurant! Pictured on the left is Wild Tacoz owner Teddy Koumarianos next to a board advertising his signature creation, the “tobrcc.” Pictured on the right is the Hal-pastor chicken with pineapple from La Tingeria.

(Photo: Patricia Leslie)

Places to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the Little City This Year

by Patricia Leslie

Falls Church residents have plenty of restaurants to consider for the celebration of Cinco de Mayo next Thursday. That’s the anniversary of the 1862 Battle of Puebla in Mexico when 2,000 Mexican troops defeated 6,000 French soldiers in a David v. Goliath moment which shook the world.

Shaking up Falls Church is the growing number of Mexican, South American, Latin American, Tex Mex and Greek Mexican restaurants which are growing by tacos and burritos in the Little City.

Three new and almost new restaurants have opened only a short distance from most local addresses, all with economical menus, all ready for some fun and some with specials for May 5.

Wild Tacoz and La Tingeria almost face each other at the corner of South Washington Street and West Westmoreland/Summerfield, while over at the “new” Birch & Broad Shopping Center on West Broad Street, there’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on at Taco Rock.

Wild Tacoz (with a “z” to distinguish it from a Texas chain, please) opened up just before covid hit, and word-of-mouth has increased its sales over time just like neighbors talking to neighbors have done for La Tingeria and Taco Rock.

To enter Wild Tacoz and smell

the tantalizing aromas and walk out without an order is practically impossible.

The eatery prides itself on customer choices: “Everything is cooked to order,” Teddy Koumarianos, the owner/manager/head chef said in an interview at the Wild while preparing to-go orders which kept arriving via a ding-a-ling notice that Uber was coming for pickup.

Koumarianos buys fresh from local Amish farms.

He explained: “Here customers make it their own way. They tell us what they want, whether it’s salads, tacos, or one of our signature creations” like a Mexican pizza or a “tobrcc” of tofu, onions, broccoli, rice, cauliflower and corn which his daughter cooked up that appeals to their many vegetarian customers.

A Greek burrito ($9.95) is another “signature creation” and since I’m just wild about feta, a key ingredient, I ordered it with the combination of rice and tzatziki (a yogurt mixture), tomatoes, cucumbers, Romaine lettuce, parsley, and Greek olives.

With robust nutrition and a healthy interior, the 12-inch dish was big and appetizing, lasting me 3.5 meals and never seeming stale. (Stored under refrigeration, of course.)

Wild Tacoz has got “wacky sides,” too, including one of my favs, zucchini, squash and tomatoes ($4.95). Perfectly cooked and tasty, I, a faux vegetarian, call it “a faux

dessert.”

Across the street, La Tingeria is enjoying huge publicity. Only the medialess could have escaped the press flurry and hubbub about its now famous chicken tinga which the restaurant began selling a while back from a food truck.

David Peña, the chief operator, is grateful now for being laid off long ago at a restaurant where he poured “my heart and soul. I’m never working for anyone else again,” he laughs. “It worked out for the best and helped push me to this,” a start in his own business.

At the former restaurant he would make a family meal of chicken tinga for the staff and, one day, he paused and smiled, an employee asked him when he was going to open up “tingeria. A name I never forgot.”

To eat something besides the famous chicken dish, I ordered the chicken hal-pasto traditionally served with tiny chunks of pineapple, the sweetness which added a dessert-like taste to the delicious tortilla. I also had a sopa corn flour tortilla lightly fried, accompanied by any halal (“permissible” to Muslims) meat, complete with a tangy bean spread, lettuce, cilantro, onions and more ($5).

Nothing was mediocre; the restaurant lives up to its reputation.

As soon as he can hire more employees, Peña plans to open up six or seven days a week. He’s

already had to turn down several catering orders because he doesn’t have enough staff.

Over at Taco Rock last Saturday afternoon, it was anything but a “soft opening” which Chef Manny Hernández said was the plan.

Constant customers arrived to sit in or out, or at the “in and out” bar and enjoy one of 13 margarita choices.

(How about a blueberry, blackberry or jalapeño margarita to go with your blue corn tortilla?)

Since I’m a seafood lover, I could not pass up the shrimp ceviche ($12), which came with with six, fat perfectly cooked shrimps (almost doubling the quantity I expected) marinated in citrus, and mixed with diced carrots, cucumbers, red onion slices, avocado, cilantro and teaser sweet potato pieces, their taste almost absent.

I appreciated the tanginess, crunchiness and the shrimp’s low calorie count.

To extend my enjoyment at Taco Rock and ensure I had enough food to last me three days without eating anything else, I also had a crunchy, fried empanada with chicken ($5) and a delightful fried avocado taco ($4.50) with corn salsa, pico de gallo, cilantro, and sour cream.

For Cinco de Mayo, Taco Rock will have taco specials and sell margaritas for $6 all day. It will team up with Falls Church police and offer free “sober rides” home (up to a $15

limit). La Tingeria will have taco specials, too, but the labor crunch means no holiday specials at Wild Tacoz.

Wherever your taste buds take you to celebrate, it’s only a walk home for Falls Church. No need to drive on a day which is not Mexican Independence Day that some merrymakers may claim after celebrating with, maybe, more than one or two margaritas.

Wild Tacoz, 7167 South Washington St., Falls Church 22046, 703-639-0199, Wildtacoz. com. Open Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

La Tingeria, 626 South Washington St., Falls Church 22046, latingeria@gmail.com.

Open Thursday, 12 - 4 p.m.; Friday - Sunday, 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. No phone or website, but they are coming!

Taco Rock, 1116 West Broad St., Falls Church 22046, 703-760-3141, thetacorock. com. Open Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. -10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

• This article is part of the “Restaurant Spotlight” series, which will feature one local restaurant and its menu each month. To suggest that your restaurant be covered, contact Amanda Snead, News Editor at asnead@fcnp.com

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022r | PAGE 15

Falls Church Arts All Member’s Show Many Delights

Falls Church Arts all member show full of color and creativity on display at 700-B W Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046 through May 8th. (photos: News-Press)

Marcia Ball

Carly Harvey’s Kiss & Ride

Live Music * Family Fun Interactive Villages * Food * Bar

Rebirth Brass Band

Dale and the ZDubs

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Net proceeds benefit Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

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PAGE 16 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

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News-Press

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Community News & Notes F.C. Women’s History Walk to Feature “Her-Story” Signs The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, Falls Church Elected Women, and the Falls Church Women’s History Group will host a Women’s History Walk on Sunday, May 2, from 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. The walk will lead participants on a loop through the City, starting at one of three locations: City Hall, the Tinner Hill Historic Site, or Big Chimneys Park. Along the way, visitors will find various stops and signs that include historic markers, community group displays, “Her-Story” stations, and other points of interest.

Winners of Statewide Essay Writing Contest Announced The Virginia Municipal League (VML) hosted an essay writing contest that drew hundreds of entries from seventh graders throughout the state.

The students were challenged to identify an issue in their locality, talk to others about possible solutions, and then identify what solution would best address it.

Charlotte Lieu of Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in Falls Church was awarded the best essay in the state of Virginia.

Rose Weatherly of Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School was selected for Region 5 (including Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William counties).

All regional winners demonstrated a grasp of an issue affecting their community and developed persuasive proposals to mitigate the problem. In every case, it was apparent that these students cared about the people in their area and wanted to help. Of the statewide winning entry, VML President and City of Fairfax Councilmember Jon Stehle said that “Ms. Lieu’s diligence in interviewing various members of her community made her essay stand out...

Congratulations to Ms. Lieu and all the winners and thanks to all the 7th graders who submitted essays this year.” In addition to a plaque, each regional winner will receive a check for $150;

the statewide winner will receive a plaque and $250. Plans for presentation of the plaques and checks are forthcoming. All winning essays will be featured in the May issue of VML’s magazine Virginia Town & City and will be posted at vml.org/education/essay-contest.

F.C. AAUW 2-Day Book Sale Opens Friday, Apr. 29 The Falls Church Area American Association of University Women is hosting a used book sale at the end of the month on Friday, Apr. 29, from 9 a.m. — 9 p.m. and Saturday, Apr. 30, from 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. at the Falls Church Community Center at 223 Little Falls St, off Route 7. The sale will include thousands of books, with a huge variety of hardback, paperback, fiction, and non-fiction books.

Most books are priced at $4 or less. Proceeds from the sale will benefit scholarship and grant programs for women, including local F.C. high school girls. For more information, visit fallschurcharea-va.aauw.net/booksale or call 703-637-4488.

Shepherd’s Center Seeking New Volunteers Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church (SCMAFC), an all-volunteer organization, is seeking volunteers to drive seniors to medical and dental appointments or run errands to grocery stores and pharmacies.

In addition to driving volunteers, Shepherd’s Center is also seeking volunteers to assist with event planning, recruiting, and marketing (newsletter, website and social media) as well as administrative tasks.

“In a typical year, Shepherd’s Center provides over 2000 rides—roughly 75 percent medically related, 25 percent grocery, and 1 percent for handy helper needs,” said Tom Callanen, Board Chair.

For volunteers there is no minimum commitment. Each volunteer can choose when, where, and how often to help.

THESE LOCAL BARISTAS, at the 3046 Gatehouse Plaza Starbucks in Falls Church, have joined their colleagues across the U.S. who have voted to form a labor union. (Courtesy Photo.)

To apply for services, you have to be over 50 years old and live in the McLean, Arlington, or Falls Church area. There are three ways to apply: Online: scmafc.org/contact; email: contact@scmafc.org; or phone: 703 506-2199 (leave a message).

For more information about SCMAFC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, please go to its website at scmafc.org or contact us at 703-506-2199. The Shepherd’s Center welcomes the opportunity to provide information about its services and to answer questions for anyone interested about becoming a volunteer.

New Eagle Project from Troop 1996 Scheduled for Apr. 30 A Scout seeking to attain the rank of Eagle and a team of fellow Troops will be focusing on the Marie Butler Leven Preserve (1501 Kirby Rd, McLean), removing invasive species of plants and replanting native species in a portion of the preserve. Scouts will also build and install wire mesh fencing to pro-

tect the new plants from deer.

Boy Scout Troop 1996 meets Monday evenings at Mary Ellen Henderson MS in Falls Church, VA. Our Scout-led troop serves youth ages 11 — 18, focusing on being safe and having fun through activities that build and celebrate character, citizenship, and fitness. Email scoutmaster@troop1996.com for more information or visit the Troop online at troop1996.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/ scoutsbsatroop1996.

Proposed 2023 Budget Presented to City Council As the Falls Church City Council continues work on the 2023 proposed city budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP), online and in-person meetings continued throughout the month of April and will continue into the month of May. The next meeting, on Monday, May 2, will be an in-person Public Hearing that will feature the Second Reading of Ordinances, starting at 7:30 p.m., in Council Chambers at City Hall (300 Park

Ave). May 2 is also the date of anticipated adoption of the 2023 budget by the City Council. To learn more about the City’s budget process, as well as its CIP, visit fallschurchva.gov/budget.

With questions, call 703-2485004.

Blood Drive at Christ Crossman Methodist Church The Inova Bloodmobile will be in the Christ Crossman United Methodist Church parking lot (384 N Washington St, Falls Church) on Thursday, May 5, from 2 —- 7 p.m. The Church is trying to meet its goal of 40 donors. Contact the Church office for more information by calling 703-532-4026 or visit christcrossman.org.

“Into the Woods” Opens at Creative Cauldron May 5 Written by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, “Into the Woods” intertwines the various stories and characters from Grimm fairy tales into a tangled adventure

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

featuring Cinderella and Jack, from “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

This Creative Cauldron production of the play is sponsored by Mark F. Werblood Esq., Attorney at Law. All patrons must wear masks; social distancing between parties and proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test within 24 hours of the performance is required for everyone ages 5 and above. “Into the Woods” will run from Thursday, May 5 — Saturday, May 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be two shows on Sunday, May 8, at 2 and 7 p.m. Visit creativecauldron.org/into-the-woods.html for more information.

Democratic Primary Early Voting Begins May 6 Early voting for the Democratic Primary for the U.S. House of Representatives 8th District starts May 6; the Primary is set to take place June 21. The candidates are Victoria I. Virasingh and Donald S. Beyer, Jr. The Republican Party does not have a primary this year.

Voters who have applied for a permanent by-mail ballot and indicated the Democratic Party should receive a ballot. Call the Voter Registration office at 703-248-5085 or email vote@ fallschurchva.gov with questions or concerns. Visit elections.virginia.gov for more information.

Congressman Beyer’s Sixth Annual Women’s Conference Titled “Making a Difference,” Congressman Don Beyer will be hosting his sixth annual Women’s Conference to discuss topics such as women’s economic empowerment, issues facing women in the workplace, and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. This year, there

will be a panel discussion on the many ways women have stepped up in their communities to make a positive difference. Following the panel of guest speakers, there will be an awarding of the Clara Mortenson Beyer Award. The Women’s Conference is free and open to all, but capacity is limited so participants are encouraged to RSVP online. Visit friendsofdonbeyer.com for more information. The Conference will take place Saturday, May 7, at George Mason University’s Arlington Campus (3351 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA), between 8:30 — 11 a.m.

Bubble Tea With a Cop Event on May 1 The City of Falls Church Police Department will host a Bubble Tea with a Cop event on Sunday, May 1, 2022 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Eden Center (6751 Wilson Blvd.) Stop by the white tent to meet with City of Falls Church Police officers. It’s an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, or simply get to know some of the officers who serve The Little City and enjoy free Bubble Tea from participating Eden Center restaurants. Email police@fallschurchva.gov for more details.

Falls Church Arts All Member Show Open Until May 8 One hundred nineteen artists are currently being featured in the 2022 All Member Show at the Falls Church Arts gallery, with the exhibition running until May 8. The show highlights the work of emerging and established member artists from F.C. Arts and encompasses an extensive range of media. The F.C. Arts gallery is located at 700 B West Broad St (Route 7), Falls Church. The

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APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 17

gallery is open Wednesdays — Saturdays from 11 a.m. — 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. Masks and social distancing are required. F.C. Arts works to support artists and art education in the community since its inception in 2003. For more information, visit fallschurcharts.org.

McLean Art Society Sponsoring 3-Day Exhibit The McLean Art Society will be sponsoring a 3-day art exhibit and sale entitled “ART A FAIR,” featuring original work in a variety of styles and touching upon many different subjects. Many exhibitors are award winning artists. The opening reception is set for Friday, May 13, from 5 — 8 p.m. at Walker Chapel United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall (4102 N. Globe Rd, Arlington).

The show continues at this site on Saturday, May 14, between the hours of 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. and on Sunday, May 15, between 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.

Admission is free. All are welcome.

For more information, call Walker Chapel United Methodist Church at 703-538-5200. The McLean Art Society can be found at mcleanartsociety.org.

FCPA Rec Centers Celebrate Mental Health Awareness May is mental health awareness month and Fairfax County Park Authority Rec Centers are offering a variety of ways for residents to improve their mood and reduce their anxiety.

Research shows that regular exercise releases feel-good endorphins and can help people take their mind off a variety of worries. The Providence Rec Center at 7525 Marc Dr, Falls Church, will have a special Yoga seminar on May 12, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Visit fairfaxcounty.gov/ parks/park-news for more events and locations.

F.C. ACTIVISTS on behalf of making Falls Church a “Stroke Smart City” received a proclamation at the City Council meeting Monday. A key organizer is Grace Rissetto (right), long time educator on the Falls Church School System, advocating on behalf of her sister Nancy Rizzo, in recovery from a stroke suffered in 2017. Their goal is to make the public more aware of symptoms of a stroke such that swift action can do a lot to mitigate a stroke’s impact. Efforts here center around the Kensington Senior Living on W. Broad, and a public educational event is slated for June 30 at the State Theater. (Photo: News-Press).

Social Justice Committee of F.C. New Meeting Day The Social Justice Committee has shifted their monthly meetings to the fourth Sunday of each month, from 3:30 — 5:30 p.m. Since its first major project in 2018, the Committee has undertaken a variety of activities such as follow-up programs to the annual march for Martin Luther King Day and advocacy with the City of Falls Church on issues such as race and equity Several new ini-

tiatives are currently being planned.

Building on a belief in learning with and getting to know one another, the Committee continues to evolve and explore new ways of building and strengthening relationships across myriad differences while at the same time developing individual and organizational skills to better address social injustice.

Committee membership remains open to all. For more information, contact socialjusticefc@gmail.com or visit tinnerhill.org/social-justicecommittee.

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FALLS CHURCH CALENDAR LOCALEVENTS THURSDAY, APRIL 28 Walk-in Tech Clinic. A tech tutor is available every Thursday at Thomas Jefferson Library to help visitors with issues and questions. 703-573-1060.

(7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church).

10 — 11 a.m.

F.C. Fiber Artists. Those interested in knitting and crocheting are invited to a weekly group at Mary Riley Styles Public Library. 703-248-5030 (120 N. Virginia Ave) 10 a.m. — 12 p.m.

Spring Storytime. Mary Riley Styles Public Library invites children ages 2 — 4 and their caregivers to a morning of storytime and songs. Register at mrspl.librarycalendar.com. Masks not required. (120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church.) 10:30 — 11 a.m.

Woodrow Wilson Storytime.

Attendees will learn Spanish and/ or Sign Language words as they fit with the activity. For kids ages 3 — 5 with an adult caregiver. Masks required; limited to 15 visitors. (6101 Knollwood Dr., Falls Church). 10:30 — 11 a.m.

Ukulele Thursday. Thomas Jefferson Library invites families to a morning of stories and music. For children up to 5 years of age. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 10:30 — 11 a.m.

2022 F.C. Arts All Member Show.

Running through May 8, featuring a variety of work created by 119 F.C. Arts Gallery artists. Visit fallschurcharts.org for information.

(700 W. Broad St, Falls Church, VA.) Wednesday — Saturday, 11 a.m. — 6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. — 4 p.m.

Mixed Media Painting. Those interested in mixed media are invited to a session with instructor Richard Levine at F.C. Art Gallery. Visit fallschurcharts.org to register. (700 W. Broad St, Falls Church.) 1 — 3 p.m.

English Conversation Group. Small, in-person conversation group at

Thomas Jefferson Library for those learning English. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church.) 3 — 4 p.m.

more. Covid health guidelines will be observed. (300 Park Ave, Falls Church). 8 a.m. — 12 p.m.

District Trivia. Weekly trivia at Clare and Don’s. 703-532-9283. (130 N. Washington St, Falls Church). 7 p.m.

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Visitors will be able to drop off any expired, unused, or unwanted pills and patches free and anonymously.

No liquids, needles or sharps. For information, visit takebackday.dea. gov. Outside the Police entrance of City Hall (300 Park Ave, Falls Church).

10 a.m. — 2 p.m.

Solace Outpost Trivia. Trivia every Tuesday and Thursday. First and second place teams win gift cards. 571378-1469. (444 W. Broad St, Falls Church). 7 — 9 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 Davis Mansion Tours. The Davis Mansion provides guests with a closer look at history. Registration required; tours offered on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays at 10 and 11 a.m. as well as 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Visit insidenovatix.com or call 703-777-2414 for information. (17269 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg, VA 20176.)

Sensory Time. A quieter, sensoryfriendly storytime presented by Thomas Jefferson Library. Ages 1 — 3. Register at librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 10:30 — 11:30 a.m.

Kids Chess Club. Meetings involve instruction and practice games. For kids ages 6 — 13. Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 4:30 — 5:30 p.m.

Teen Improv Class. Teens can explore the basic elements of improvisation with theatre games and acting exercises at Thomas Jefferson Library.

For ages 14 — 18. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church.) 4:30 — 5:30 p.m.

Teen Advisory Board. High school students meet weekly to get involved in library programming and services. For ages 14 — 18. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 4:30 — 5 :30 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 F.C. Farmers Market. Every week, visitors will find fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers, honey, and

Cherry Hill Open House Tours.

Free tours available at Cherry Hill farmhouse, Saturdays through the month of Oct, provided by trained docents. Visit cherryhillfallschurch. org for information. Cherry Hill Farmhouse (312 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA). 10 a.m. — 12 p.m.

Used Book Sale. Mary Riley Styles Public Library will hold its April weekend book sale on Saturday, Apr. 30 and Sunday, May 1 from 10 a.m. — 3 p.m. in the Upper Level Conference Room. Proceeds support library programs and services.

(120 N Virginia Ave, Falls Church.)

Container Gardening. Extension Master Gardener Sandy Tarpinian will host a gardening seminar at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, focusing on herbs, vegetables, and flowering plants grown in patio/balcony containers. (120 N Virginia Ave, Falls Church.) 11 a.m. — 12 p.m.

Visit with an Illustrator. Thomas Jefferson Library will host storytime, Q&A, and a drawing activity with illustrator Zara Gonzalez Hoang.

(7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church.)

11 a.m. — 12 p.m.

Learn Vietnamese. Participants will have a chance to learn and practice Vietnamese with a native speaker.

Walk-ins welcome. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 12 — 1 p.m.

GIVE Tutoring. Free tutoring for children in kindergarten — 6th provided

by GIVE, a high school student-run non-profit organization. Thomas

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

JANIS IAN, the multiple Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and musician behind the seminal 1975 album "Between the Lines," will be making her way to the Birchmere on Saturday, Apr. 30, on her last North American tour. (Photo: archives.janisian.com.)

Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 12 — 2 p.m.

Wine Tasting Saturdays. Dominion Wine & Beer hosts wine tasting every Saturday, conducted by an industry professional. Call 703-5333030 for information. Located in the back parking lot; no reservations required. (107 Rowell Ct, Falls Church.) 1 p.m. — 4 p.m.

DIY Mother's Day Cards. TysonsPimmit Library invites kids ages 8 — 12 to create a special card for moms and mom-figures the weekend before Mother’s Day. Register online at librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov.

(7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church.)

1 — 2 p.m.

Paws to Read with Lucy. Visitors will be able to read aloud to Lucy, a trained therapy dog, at Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church.) 2 — 3 p.m.

Family Movie. Woodrow Wilson Library will be showing “Encanto” (2021), rated PG. Covered drinks welcome; no food allowed. Masks optional. Register at librarycalendar. fairfaxcounty.gov. (6101 Knollwood Dr, Falls Church.) 3 — 6 p.m.

SUNDAY, MAY 1 Arc of Northern Virginia's Corporate & Community Team Challenge. The Team Challenge raises funds in ser-

vice of programs and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For information and to register, visit thearcofnova. org/events/team-challenge-2022.

Burke Lake Park, Shelter C (7315 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA). 7:30 a.m.

NOVA Central Farm Markets. This year-round market features meat, fish, cheese, produce, dairy, baked goods, and other finds. Visit nova. centralfarmmarkets.com for more information. (543 Beulah Road, Vienna, VA 22180.) 9 a.m. — 1 p.m.

F.C. Women’s History Walk. The Friends of Cherry Hill Foundation is supporting the 2022 Women’s History Walk, a self-guided 2-mile loop from City Hall to Cherry Hill Park. Docents will provide guidance and directions. For information, visit cherryhillfallschurch.org. (312 Park Ave, Falls Church.) 11 a.m. — 2 p.m.

Meridian All Night Grad Party Fundraiser. A silent auction will take place at Clare and Don’s in support of the All Night Grad Party. Email meridianhsangc@fccps.org for more information. (130 N. Washington St, Falls Church.) 3 — 6 p.m.

MONDAY, MAY 2 Spring Storytime. Mary Riley Styles Public Library will host a morning of songs, rhymes, and stories for children between the ages of

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

2 — 4, along with an adult caregiver. Register at mrspl.librarycalendar.com. (120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church.) 10:30 — 11 a.m.

FCA Artist Cafe and Critique.

Monthly F.C. Arts discussion and critique group, held online through Zoom the first Monday of each month. Visit fallschurcharts.org for more information. 12 — 2 p.m.

Parkinson's Communication Club.

The Communication Club takes place online every Monday, led by Susan I. Wranik, Board Certified Speech-Language Pathologist. The Club helps attendees practice speaking louder and clearer in a group environment. Email Kayla Peters (kpeters@kensingtonsl.com) for more information. 3 — 4 p.m.

Read to the Dog. Visitors will be able to read aloud to Daisy, a trained therapy dog. Register at librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov or by calling 703-790-8088. Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 4 — 4:15 p.m.

Maker Mondays. Attendees can build with Legos, Keva Planks, Squigz, Mega Magnets, MagnaCars, Marble Run, Gears, and more.

Materials provided by Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 5 — 6 p.m.

ESOL Conversation Group. Online group for those looking to practice English, meeting every Monday via Zoom. Email Marshall Webster (mwebster@fallschurchva.gov) for an invite. Presented by Mary Riley Styles Public Library. 7 — 8:30 p.m.

1-on-1 English Practice. Visitors will practice speaking English with a Thomas Jefferson Library volunteer. Register at librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church.) 7:30 — 8:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 3 Spanish Conversation Group. An intermediate — advanced level group for those seeking to practice Spanish with a native speaker.

Register at librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov. Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 10:30 — 11:30 a.m.

Basic Computer Skills. Attendees will learn basic computer and internet skills with Thomas Jefferson Library volunteers. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 1 — 2 p.m.

Trivia at the Casual Pint. Weekly trivia. 703-286-0995. (6410 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7 — 8 p.m.

Trivia Tuesday at Audacious Aleworks. Weekly trivia. The winning team of 1 — 6 will receive a gift card and entry into online quarterly championships. 571-303-0177. (110 E Fairfax St, Falls Church). 7 — 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 May the Fourth Be With You (All Day). Tysons-Pimmit Library will have Star Wars-themed crafts and activities throughout the day. Best for kids ages 5 — 12. (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church.)

Pre-K Time. Thomas Jefferson Library will host a morning of songs, stories, and activities for kids ages 3 — 5 in preparation for Kindergarten. First come, first served. (7415 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 10:30 — 11 a.m.

English for Pre-Beginners. For students with no or limited prior experience. Register at librarycalendar. fairfaxcounty.gov. Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 6:30 — 8 p.m.

Kensington Caregiver Connect.

Meeting online monthly, hosted by Dr. Anya Parpura, MD, PhD. Designed to assist those caring for aging loved ones. RSVP to Kayla Peters, Director of Community Outreach, through email (kpeters@kensingtonsl.com) or at 703-981-7883. 6:30 — 8 p.m.

LIVEMUSIC FRIDAY, APRIL 29 2nd Sole. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 4 p.m.

703-241-9504.

DL Funkband. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (130 N Washington St., Falls Church). 5:30 p.m. 703532-9283.

So Fetch: A 2000’s Dance Party. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $12. 9 p.m. 703237-0300.

Brook Yoder. Ireland’s Four Provinces (105 W Broad St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-534-8999.

Al Stewart with the Empty Pockets.

The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $35. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Live Music Fridays. Solace Outpost (444 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046). 8 p.m. 571-378-1469.

Choir! Choir! Choir! Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Rd, Vienna, VA). $24. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900.

CA L E NDA R Young Relics. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

Scott McMahon. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-237-8333.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 19

FCNP Featured Event

Press Freedom Day Tuesday, May 3rd

Tex Rubinowitz Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504.

Half Pint Harry. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (130 N Washington St., Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-532-9283.

Lucy Kaplansky. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $25. 7 p.m.

703-255-1566.

Janis Ian: Celebrating Our Years Together. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Irene Jalenti. Creative Cauldron (410 South Maple Ave, Falls Church). $30.

7:30 p.m. 703-436-9948.

Chapter 11 Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church).

8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

NOMAD. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m.

703-237-8333.

Land of Talk with Zoon. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 10 p.m. 703-255-1566.

THEATER&ARTS THURSDAY, APRIL 28 The Upstairs Department.

Centering on Luke, who believes he can communicate with the dead, "The Upstairs Department," directed

by Holly Twyford, will run through June 12, with performances on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. (4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA.) Visit sigtheatre.org for more information.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 Proof. Presented by NOVA Nightsky Theater, “Proof” tells the story of a brilliant math professor whose struggles with mental health echo those of his daughter. Running on Friday, Apr. 29 and Saturday, Apr. 30, as well as on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, from 8 — 10 p.m.

Located at 1057 W. Broad St, Falls Church. For more information, visit novanightskytheater.com.

COMMEMORATED ANNUALLY, World Press Freedom Day— created and sponsored by the United Nations—recognizes the value of free speech and the work carried out by journalists across the globe. While both reporters and their readers enjoy Constitutional protections in the United States, it is not a given right in many countries. This year, UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is co-sponsoring a hybrid Global Conference with the Republic of Uruguay between May 2 — 5 with the theme “Journalism under Digital Siege.” Locally, the Little City’s own Falls Church News-Press, founded in 1991, is a weekly newspaper serving Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and surrounding localities. (Photo: News-Press).

PAGE 20 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinances referenced below were given first reading on April 11, 2022. Public hearings are scheduled for Monday, April 25, 2022 and Monday, May 2, 2022, with second reading and final Council action scheduled for Monday, May 2, 2022 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard.

(TO22-04) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023: GENERAL FUND; SCHOOL OPERATING FUND; SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND; SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND; CABLE ACCESS FUND; SEWER FUND; AND STORMWATER FUND The proposed budget includes: • $112,644,523 for the General Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $4,552,000 for the Sewer Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $1,739,500 for the Stormwater Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $57,817,889 for the School Operating Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $2,310,700 for the School Community Service Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $1,105,200 for the School Food Service Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $238,294 for the Cable Access Fund revenues and expenditures.

(TO22-05) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE FY2023-FY2028 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 Total proposed CIP appropriations for FY2023 are $20,680,607 for the General Government, Schools, Special Transportation, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater. The projects are to be funded with $2,784,000 in pay-asyou-go and capital reserves, $2,644,837 in debt, $1,500,000 in availability fees, and $13,626,770 in grants; $125,000 is currently unfunded.

(TO22-06) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2023 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 2022 The proposed real estate tax rate for the tax year beginning July 1, 2022 is: • $1.235 upon each $100.00 of assessed value of real estate in the City of Falls Church, which is a $0.085 (6.44%) decrease in the current tax rate.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C L AS S I F I E DS

erty 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.

(TO22-07) ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 42, “UTILITIES,” TO REVISE SEWER RATES AND FEES AS OF JULY 1, 2022 Under the legal authority granted by VA §15.22119, an increase to the City sewer commodity rate from $$9.87 per thousand gallons of water billed (billing unit) to $10.17 is proposed, effective July 1, 2022, which would constitute an increase of 3% per billing unit.

(TO22-08) ORDINANCE TO SET THE STORMWATER UTILITY BILLING UNIT RATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 42, ARTICLE VII OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA AS OF JULY 1, 2022 Under the legal authority granted by VA § 15.2-2114, an increase to the City stormwater utility unit billing rate from $18.72 per 200 square feet of impervious surface (billing unit) to $19.28 per billing unit annually is proposed, effective July 1, 2022, which would constitute an increase of 3% per billing unit.

All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www. fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. Public comments may also be sent to 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

AUCTIONS AUCTION - OVER 400 LOTS. CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, BUILDING MATERIALS, METAL FRAMING, DECORATIVE STONE, SCAFFOLDING, POWER TOOLS & MORE! SAT APR 30, 10AM ONSITE. 3565 OLIVET CHURCH RD, PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA. VIEW & BID NOW: ISGETTAUCTION.COM 804-338-3458 VA AL 2426 ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and 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

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The proposed commercial and industrial real estate tax rate as defined under Section 40215 of the Code of the City of Falls Church for the tax year beginning July 1, 2022 is: • $0.05 upon each $100 of assessed value of commercial and industrial real estate in the City of Falls Church. This is a new tax that will fund eligible transportation improvements.

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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, 2022 is: • $5.00 upon each $100.00 of assessed value on tangible personal property, and machinery and tools, and all other prop-

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PUZZLE NO. 140

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

7. Guilty, e.g.

8. Winery employee 9. Have bills 10. Burrow 11. Offbeat 19. Party intruder 21. Cravat 23. Album entry 25. Traveled 26. Chills 27. ____ out (barely manages) 28. Side of New York

29. Citrus fruit 30. Babble 35. Applaud 38. Closed tightly 43. Fortuneteller’s card 45. Bassinet 47. Confront 48. Arena shape 49. In good health 50. Common contraction 51. Buck’s mate 52. Single 54. Personal pronoun

Copyright © 2022, Penny Press

ACROSS 1. Off yonder 5. Siesta 8. Hubbub: hyph.

12. Rigging line 13. Building addition 14. Dazzled 15. Like some stockings 16. Beerlike brew 17. “You ____ Me” 18. Rigorously enforced 20. Picnic insect 22. ____ school 24. Scary 28. Pixie

31. Fireplace residue 32. Earthenware pot 33. Be sick 34. Inventory 36. Letter after cee 37. Crush 39. Toddler 40. Superman’s letter 41. Plains tent 42. Disregard 44. Curved line 46. Pasture 50. Hero 53. Deli bread 55. Babble wildly

56. Mood 57. Electrified particle 58. Spoken 59. Bird feed 60. Future bloom 61. Spill the beans DOWN 1. Painting and dance, e.g.

2. Shoe filler 3. Imitator 4. Immerse again 5. Most tidy 6. “____ I Need”

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 140

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 | PAGE 21

LO CA L

PAGE 22 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

BACK IN THE DAY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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Falls Church News-Press Vol. VI, No. 6 • April 24, 1997 Council Edges Close to Selling Whittier, No Tax Hike Budget

7 Candidates on Ballot for F.C. Council Election Next Tuesday

The Fallls Church City Council will hold a final work session this Saturday morning that will include a behind-closed-doors executive session during which it is hoped the final issues will be resolved that will bring at least six members on board to vote for the sale of the Whittier site.

Next Tuesday’s election for City Council and School Board in the city of Falls Church includes two all-time firsts and one all-time last. It is the first time that Council candidates, seven of them competing for three seats, have run without endoresement or backing by one or more civic organizations.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FCCPS SCHO O LS

SUPERINTENDENT’S UPDATE Dear FCCPS Families, Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you all had an opportunity to be together, rest, and renew as we head toward the end of the year. This is the time of year that things move fast…we will be celebrating graduation at Meridian before we know it. Enjoy the fun times and the end of the year celebrations.

The Fifth Grade PYP Exhibition took place on Thursday in person! Congratulations to all 5th-grade students and teachers and mentors on your hard work and achievements.

This is a reminder of the message that went out just before spring break…FCCPS, along with many school divisions in the US, had the incorrect date for the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. The school calendar holiday for Eid is changing from Tuesday, May 3, 2022, to Monday, May 2, 2022. FCCPS and surrounding school systems originally scheduled the day off for the 3rd. I want to thank our employees and community members who celebrate Eid al-Fitr for educating us on how Islamic holiday dates are determined based on the lunar calendar.

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022r | PAGE 23

Fifth Graders Participate in the PYP Exhibition In-Person As part of the IB Primary Years Programme, fifth graders wrap up their time as PYP students doing an extensive reasearch and collaborative work on the Exhibition Project. Students worked hard on using their ATL skills to research a topic such as solar energy, Black Lives Matter, and equal pay between men and women.

This is the first time since 2019 that the event has taken place in Oak Street Elementary. Congratulations fifth graders!

Under the Lights Tonight, Friday!

Meridian Spring Sports are in full swing! Head to the tennis courts to watch girls tennis take on Woodbridge Senior at 4:00 p.m. and stick around for the girls lacrosse game against Bishop O’Connell at the stadium field. On Friday, girls soccer plays Skyline, kicking away the competition.

Boys baseball celebrated their twelve seniors this past Friday in their game against Manassas Park.

They brough home a 13-0 win in their district opener with senior Alexander Gorman-Dorsey pitching 10 strikeouts.

If you made previous arrangements and as a result, your student will need to be out of school on Tuesday, May 3rd, please report the excused absence to your student’s school. Also, our Daycare Program and Rec and Parks have moved their respective programs from Tuesday the 3rd to Monday the 2nd.

Peter J. Noonan, EdD Superintendent

Senior Alexander Gorman-Dorsey offers strong pitches for Manassas Park opponents.

FCCPS Photo

GIVE Day Sports Equipment Drive!

The Meridian High School GIVE Day Club is holding a Sports Equipment Drive for local non-profit organization, Leveling the Playing Field. LPF redistributes sports equipment to expand equity in sports by making sure everyone has access to the things they need to excel in their passion. Collection bins will be at The Community Center, the main entrance of OSE, and the main entrance of MHS. Donations will be taken through May 2.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 24 | APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

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