Falls Church News-Press 4-8-2021 by Falls Church News-Press

April 8 – 14, 2021

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Underfunded & Understaﬀed: F.C. Police Make Budget Requests City Police Chief Mary Gavin Made Case For Hiring of New Officers, Purchasing New Equipment to F.C. Council BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

While City officials are still awaiting further information on when and how much funding is coming from the federal government to buoy lost revenues resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, some

key unmet needs were articulated by the City’s Police Chief Mary Gavin and others at Monday’s City Council work session. A lot is still unknown about the relief funds, including whether and how much can be applied to City budgetary needs in the coming year. Also unclear is how much the City

can hope to expect from the combination of federal American Rescue Plan funds and the new $2 trillion jobs and infrastructure bill that still awaits federal approval. It was suggested at Monday’s meeting that the $13 million from the Rescue funds initially estimated may be a higher than realistic num-

ber. For a City that is currently mulling an annual budget of $106 million for all of its services, including over $40 million for the schools, a boost of $13 million is a major deal. Nonetheless, the mere thought of such resources opened up Monday’s virtual City Council work session for a new level of frankness about

how currently understaffed some vital City departments are, beginning with the police. Chief Gavin laid out a stark picture of the status of her department at present, underscored by a time last weekend when it took over an

Continued on Page 5

F.C. City Schools 1st to Fully Reopen in Northern Virginia BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

“They came on foot, by car, bike, scooter, and bus to fill classrooms for the first time this year. Tuesday, all enrolled Falls Church City Public School students went back to class, all together, at the same time, for the whole day!” The eloquent, poetic words of the schools’ public information chief John Brett, relayed through the system’s emailed morning announcements Wednesday, said it all. The Falls Church system became the first in the entire Northern Virginia region to bring all its students back from Covid-19 constraints and into classrooms full time this week. The good news of that development was further enhanced by the announcement late Wednesday that students graduating from the brand new high school this spring will enjoy a graduation ceremony in

person on the high school football field some time in mid-June. FCCPS Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan told the News-Press Wednesday that he, his staff and students are “really excited and thrilled to be fully back” in the classrooms this week. He said that more and more students are showing up to be included in classes between now and the June end of the regular school year. “We are able to come back sooner than any other school district in our wider area because our data numbers were good (Covid-19 percent positivity and cases per 1,000 in testing), all our teachers and staff were fully vaccinated, the flexibility of our staff coming up with some really creative solutions, and the fact that size matters. As a small system, we were able to pull this off creatively,” Noonan said.

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NEW NORMAL FUN. Kids? Sharing space and smiles? On a playground? What a welcoming sight. While the masks are still required, it’s easy to tell students at Jessie Thackrey Preschool are happy to be back and fully reopened for the rest of the academic year. (P��: FCCPS P��/C�� S��)

I�� T�� W�� L�� S�� R�� P�� S�� P�� O�� F.C. Students in the City of Falls Church might notice a few of their peers are missing when they make their first, full-time return to class in over a year this week. Over 200 students unenrolled from Falls Church City Public Schools this academic year. SEE STORY, PAGE 3

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As more and more Falls Church residents are getting inoculated against Covid-19, people are breathing a sigh of relief. However, many local residents feel they are not out of the woods just yet given what’s still not known about the tramissability of the virus post-vaccination. See Story, page 13

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INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 Comment ................................ 7,12,13 News & Notes.............................10-11 Crime Report .................................... 12 Business News ................................. 15 Calendar .....................................16-17 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 19 Classified Ads .............................20-21 Critter Corner.................................... 22

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 2 | APRIL 8 - 14, 2021

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF A PETITION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR APPROVAL OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE, DESIGNATED RIDER CCR, FOR THE RECOVERY OF COSTS INCURRED TO COMPLY WITH § 10.1-1402.03 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE § 56-585.1 A 5 e CASE NO. PUR-2021-00045 •Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion”) has applied for approval of a rate adjustment clause, designated Rider CCR, for recovery of costs incurred to comply with state and federal environmental regulations. •Dominion requests a revenue requirement of $216.146 million for its 2021 Rider CCR. According to Dominion, this amount would increase the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by $2.95. •Due to the ongoing public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, a Hearing Examiner appointed by the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on July 27, 2021, at 10 a.m., for the receipt of public witness testimony. •A Hearing Examiner will hold an evidentiary hearing in this case on July 27, 2021, after the receipt of public witness testimony. •Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: scc.virginia.gov/case. On February 26, 2021, pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 5 of the Code of Virginia (“Code”) and the State Corporation Commission’s (“Commission”) Rules Governing Utility Rate Applications and Annual Informational Filings of Investor-Owned Electric Utilities, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion” or “Company”) filed with the Commission its petition requesting approval of a rate adjustment clause, designated Rider Coal Combustion Residuals (“Rider CCR”), for the recovery of costs incurred to comply with Virginia Senate Bill 1355 (“SB 1355”), codified as Code § 10.1-1402.03 (“Petition”). In its Petition, the Company seeks cost recovery for certain environmental projects involving coal combustion residual (“CCR”) removal (collectively, “CCR Projects”) located at the Company’s Bremo Power Station, Chesterfield Power Station, Possum Point Power Station, and Chesapeake Energy Center (collectively, “Power Stations”). According to the Company, the CCR Projects are required for the Company to comply with SB 1355. The Company states that, prior to enactment of SB 1355, the Company initially planned to cap and close in place the CCR storage facilities at each Power Station, consistent with federal and state regulations. In 2019, however, the General Assembly passed SB 1355, which requires the Company to remove all CCR from the current storage locations and either beneficially reuse it or move it to a qualified landfill. The Company states that, to comply with SB 1355, the Company is required to (i) remove all CCR from the storage units at each Power Station in accordance with applicable standards established by the Virginia Solid Waste Management Regulations and either (a) beneficially reuse all such CCR in a recycling process for encapsulated beneficial use, or (b) dispose of the CCR in a permitted landfill as directed in facilities that meet federal Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills standards; (ii) beneficiate at least 6.8 million cubic yards of CCR from at least two of the Power Stations; (iii) develop a transportation plan in coordination with local governments impacted by the transport of CCR as directed; (iv) identify options for utilizing and prioritizing hiring of local workers, and advance the Commonwealth’s workforce goals; and (v) compile reports detailing the Company’s closure plan and progress as directed in the statute. In this proceeding, Dominion asks the Commission to approve Rider CCR for the rate year beginning December 1, 2021, and ending November 30, 2022 (“Rate Year”). The Company states that the two key components of the revenue requirement are the Projected Cost Recovery Factor and the Actual Cost True-Up Factor. The Company requests a Projected Cost Recovery Factor of $216.146 million on a Virginia jurisdictional basis, which includes amortization over the Rate Year of certain deferred costs (including financing costs) incurred prior to the beginning of the Rate Year, and the projected monthly cash expenditures attributable to the CCR Projects. The Company requests an Actual Cost True-Up Factor revenue requirement of $0. Accordingly, the total Rider CCR revenue requirement requested for recovery during the Rate Year is $216.146 million. For purposes of calculating the Rate Year projected revenue requirement, the Company utilizes a general rate of return on common equity of 9.2%, per the Commission’s Final Order in Case No. PUR-2019-00050. According to the Petition, the Rider CCR rate will be billed on a cents per kilowatt-hour (“kWh”) basis, which will apply to each Company rate schedule or special contract approved by the Commission pursuant to Code § 56-235.2. Pursuant to Code § 10.1-1402.03, the Company has allocated costs of the CCR Projects to all Virginia customers as a non-bypassable charge, irrespective of the generation supplier of any such customer. If the proposed Rider CCR for the Rate Year is approved, the impact on customer bills would depend on the customer’s rate schedule and usage. The Company states that implementation of the proposed Rider CCR on December 1, 2021, would increase the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month by $2.95. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Petition and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals. TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Petition and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Petition and supporting documents. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on the Petition. On July 27, 2021, at 10 a.m., the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing, with no witness present in the Commission’s courtroom, for the purpose of receiving the testimony of public witnesses. On or before July 23, 2021, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia. gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting. On July 27, 2021, after the receipt of public witness testimony, either in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or by electronic means, the Commission will convene a hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Petition from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Further details on this hearing will be provided by subsequent Commission Order or Hearing Examiner’s Ruling. The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, and the declarations of emergency issued at both the state and federal levels. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other documents required to be served in this matter should be submitted electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”). Confidential and Extraordinarily Sensitive Information shall not be submitted electronically and should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, of the Rules of Practice. For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, any person seeking to hand deliver and physically file or submit any pleading or other document shall contact the Clerk’s Office Document Control Center at (804) 371-9838 to arrange the delivery. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission has directed that service on parties and Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing for further instructions concerning Confidential or Extraordinarily Sensitive Information. An electronic copy of the Company’s Petition may be viewed on the Commission’s website or may be obtained by submitting a request to counsel for the Company: Timothy D. Patterson, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or tpatterson@mcguirewoods.com. On or before July 27, 2021, any interested person may file comments on the Petition by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments or by filing such comments with the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00045. On or before May 14, 2021, any interested person or entity may participate as a respondent by filing, with the Clerk of the Commission at the address above or scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling/, a notice of participation in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice. Notices of participation shall include the email addresses of the party or its counsel. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00045. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing. On or before June 17, 2021, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission and serve on the Staff, the Company, and all other respondents, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case, and each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00045. Any documents filed in paper form with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, except as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice. The Company’s Petition, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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Uncertainty During Reopening Process Caused Some to Leave F.C. School System by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

Students in the City of Falls Church might notice a few of their peers are missing when they make their first, full-time return to class in over a year this week. Over 200 students have unenrolled from Falls Church City Public Schools during the second academic year of the pandemic, according to a February report presented to the School Board. In exact numbers, 2,694 students were attending schools at all levels during the end of the 201920 school year; as of Jan. 31 of this school year, that number had dropped to 2,490. If you consider only the full-time students at Falls Church schools, that number sinks to 2,465, per a separate report that was presented at the same time. Entry level grades at the Mount Daniel and Thomas Jefferson Elementary schools, as well as Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, were the most affected. A total of 131 kindergarten-

ers were enrolled as of Jan. 31 at Mount Daniel, while 181 ended the previous year at that grade. For Jefferson (which it was referred to in the official documents despite the School Board voting to change its name in December), the numbers were less severe — ending the 2019-20 year with 198 students in its youngest class of third graders, with 167 remaining as of Jan. 31. But Henderson had the most severe decline, as its youngest learners in sixth grade plummeted from 241 to finish last school year down to 155, again, as of Jan. 31. For some families, the reopening process disenchanted them enough to uproot almost immediately. “For my family, the damage has been done,” said Meredith West, a parent of a second grader and a kindergartener. “I don’t trust [the school system’s] decision making process, even though now I’m happy that they’ve decided to go back. There was so much misinformation, and just not clear

communication with the parents for so long.” West and her husband moved to the City specifically for the schools two years ago. They now live in Loudoun County and their children attend private schools. And they’re not the only family that has made a similar decision. Erin Keating left the state entirely when her family moved to Georgia in March. To be clear, there were a lot of factors going into their relocation. Her family lived in the subsidized housing right next to Columbia Baptist Church because her husband worked for the parish. Their money could be stretched further down south. And Keating, who described herself as very center politically, found the City’s staunch progressivism unwelcoming. But as she put it, “the schools shutting down was sort of like the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Keating couldn’t understand how such a small school system

Continued on Page 18

VIRTUAL LEARNING was not a fit for Stephanie Amoroso’s fifth grade son, who she said became less joyful and curious about things than he was before as online schooling dragged on. (Photo: Courtesy Stephanie Amoroso)

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PAGE 4 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

6 Feet of Distancing S�ll Preferred in Schools, But 3 Feet is Acceptable

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He said, “It remains the gold standard for us to socially distance at six feet, but there are some times when we have to settle for three feet,” even as that latter criterion is the new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guideline, he added. He said while there is talk of some creative activities that might be pulled together for outdoor programs before graduation, none are seriously contemplated right now. “Still, there is not a lot that we can safely attempt that is not outside,” he said. While enrollment in the system is down now, more students are returning daily this week and he expects enrollment to be back to full strength by fall. “Some students have stayed home because their families can afford home tutors, but our experience is that 90 percent of parents are pleased with how we’ve handled this whole situation,” Noonan said. He has reiterated how the lack of a coherent national and regional strategy left him and other school administrators on their own to devise safe and effective means

to educate the students in their care since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic a full year ago. He said one of the highlights of the slow return to classes this spring was the full-page ad taken out in the News-Press in March that was a big “Thank You” to the system from parents appreciative of the extraordinary effort it has taken to keep the whole shebang afloat and working. “We are planning a ‘Thank You’ back from our administrators, School Board and teachers to the community,” he said. Tuesday’s post-Spring break full reopening of the F.C. schools was documented by special on-scene reports by news teams from WJLA7 and Telemundo 44. Noonan, Mt. Daniel Elementary Principal Tim Kasik, 2nd Grade teacher Gail Bodner and ESOL parent Erika Siqueira were interviewed. On the last day of school before the Spring break, students, parents and faculty pitched in to help assemble over 150 white rolling desks used to expand distanced seating capacity in the classrooms for middle and high school learning hubs. The Falls Church Education Foundation helped come up with

CLASS IS IN SESSION at the City of Falls Church’s new high school as well, with lessons resuming in person just as they have at all other grade levels. (P��: C�� FCCPS P��/P�� N��) rapid funding so the desks, maximizing the ability to achieve sixfoot distancing, could be procured and delivered with the help of the FCCPS facilities team’s “heavy lift” to get the unassembled desks to their destinations. Also just prior to Spring Break, Noonan issued the following state-

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ment to the entire Falls Church community: “Spring Break has arrived! I wanted to send a quick note to say thank you for your continued support of FCCPS. On the Tuesday we return from Spring Break, all of our students will return to school for the first time since March 13, 2020,

at the same time except those who wish to remain online. It has been nothing short of an international, national, and local nightmare, but the ‘new normal’ is on the horizon. “The pandemic is nothing any of us have ever planned for, and

Continued on Page 22

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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F.C. Police Only Have 29 Active Of�icers, Making For Longer Response Times

Continued from Page 1

hour in the Little City for police to respond to a noise complaint because there was a death in a hotel room and a lost wallet call at the same time. In another moment, there was a robbery at the Target here, a pedestrian injury in a City street and a fire on Roosevelt Avenue, all at the same time. Both cases underscored the lack of sufficient manpower and resources of the department, which has been living on fumes for the last decade, starting with major cutbacks and delays in hiring resulting from the Great Recession’s impact on the City budget over a decade ago. While the department staff is 34, for a variety of personnel reasons the actual operational strength of the department has been at 29, Gavin reported. She observed that in 1977, when the City’s population was far below its current estimated 15,300, the department personnel strength was 30.

She noted that it takes 18 months from the hiring of a police officer before that person can be trained and tested to get out on the street, and currently her department is not only dealing with an acute shortage, but there are internal pressures, including burn out from lack of time off, pay equity and other factors contributing to the department’s current situation. This is on top of new expectations that are being imposed on police departments everywhere, she noted, due to the rise in concerns for use of force issues and mental health issues, in particular, in the past year. “We need more people throughout our department,” Gavin pleaded. “We are right now at minimum staffing.” Council member Letty Hardi said she’d like to see “comparables” regarding staffing levels and pay equity in other jurisdictions in the region. For example, how does the fact the Falls Church department received 122 calls in the last two

years on specifically mental health related issues compare? In Fairfax County, it was noted, for example, mental health workers are now riding with police officers and new non-violent forms of constraints such as BolaWraps are now being used. Councilman Phil Duncan pointed out the added burden of the introduction of police body cameras for the entire department, something that a $50,000 match grant is now being deployed so that there will be 40 body cameras available to the Falls Church department by July. Minimally, that will cost the department here an extra $50,000 in the match and $45,000 estimated annually in recurring costs. This includes processing eight hours of videos per officer per day to handle new demands for transparency, including formal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Unlike in the past, now officers prefer to carry the cameras to confirm they are giving accurate accounts of their work. Gavin said the “new expecta-

tion” is that without a video, no police account is believable. There are new state mandated data requirements to guard against biases in police practices and Gavin said that her workforce is “very diverse.” The police, she noted, do not link their radios to the staff of the Falls Church City Public Schools as a matter of policy (a prohibition on police radios outside the department) but the City police can view

APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 5

the live video feeds monitoring the new high school hallways. Nancy Vincent, director of the City’s Human Resources division, noted that more than 70 households in the City needed significant assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic, compared to eight in the previous years. The City has expended $400,000 in rent relief during the crisis, he said, and state rental relief is being extended up to 15 months.

Status Update on Monday, April 5 City of Falls Church Date

Vaccine Data

Doses Administered

Fully Vaccinated

Monday, April 5

7,289

2,542

Monday, March 29

6,185

2,151

Monday, March 22

5,252

1,878

Monday, February 22

3,237

1,144

Monday, January 25

1,077

*NOTE: This data point decreased as the Virginia Department of Health found that the individuals lived in the Fairfax County part of Falls Church, not the City of Falls Church.

4/14/2021.

PAGE 6 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 

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F.C. Council Hails FCNP’s 30th

The Falls Church News-Press was deeply honored last Monday night to receive at the virtual meeting of the Falls Church City Council a proclamation signed by Mayor David Tarter celebrating the 30th anniversary of the newspaper, which has been written, prepared, printed and distributed to every single household in the City and more since March 28, 1991, a total of more than 1,561 consecutive editions. The editorial in the first edition quoted then Mayor Brian O’Connor’s citation by Thomas Jefferson, who wrote after the American revolution said that if it came to a choice between government and a free press, he’d consider the latter more important to the general good of the public. We reprint this week’s proclamation in full below because it situates so well the News-Press’ milestone with the value of a free press, overall, an affirmation especially important given the relentless assault the free press came under from the previous U.S. presidential administration. The proclamation reads as follows: “Whereas, the Falls Church News-Press is celebrating the 30th anniversary of consecutive weekly publication of Falls Church’s independent, locally-owned newspaper; and “Whereas, the Falls Church News-Press was first published on March 28, 1991, to benefit the residents of the City of Falls Church and its environs with an independent newspaper of record providing news, announcements, comments, letters to the editor, advertising, and items of human interest; and “Whereas, the Falls Church News-Press has established itself as the newspaper of record for Falls Church, Virginia; has been certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to publish official legal notices; is a member in full standing of the Virginia Press Association; and is a member of the Washington-Baltimore Suburban Press Network; and “Whereas, the longevity of the paper is due to the tireless dedication of the News-Press staff, and especially to founder and editor Nicholas Benton, to reporting on local events and issues important to Falls Church residents; and “Whereas, our nation’s founders understood that freedom of the press and an informed citizenry are cornerstones of a democracy; and “Whereas, the Commonwealth has played a vital role in promoting First Amendment rights throughout history; and “Whereas, in 1776, the Virginia Declaration of Rights was the first declaration of rights to call for a free press; and “Whereas, the Falls Church News-Press plays an important role in promoting and protecting First Amendment rights in the City and the Commonwealth; and “Whereas, celebrating this milestone anniversary with the Falls Church News-Press is an opportunity to remind residents of the necessity of a free press, and emphasize the importance of newspapers in fostering accountability, transparency, improved public policy, community participation, and government responsiveness in the everyday lives of people; “Now, therefore I, David Tarter, Mayor of the City of Falls Church, Virginia, do hereby proclaim the Falls Church News-Press as a vital civic, historical, and archival resource for the community and commend Mr. Benton on 30 years of consecutive weekly publication of the newspaper.”

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Muzzling Live Music Hurts F.C.’s Appeal To Those Outside City Editor, One of the few bright spots over this past year has been the cooperation among local bars/restaurants, bands and fans of live music. Starting around Memorial Day, the local businesses started trying to figure out how to reopen and several in Falls Church (Falls Church Distillers, Clare and Don’s, Mark’s Pub, Liberty BBQ and State Theatre) viewed outdoor live music as a way to help bring some normalcy back to our lives, and continue their business and support of their employees. They worked in concert with local bands and their fans to create a safe and enjoyable option for everyone. It wasn’t always easy but it was very effective and successful and there have been no known cases of Covid-19 spread from any of those events. Beyond just surviving, the Falls Church live music scene has become a huge draw throughout the area and Falls Church is being referred to as the new hub of live music in the D.C. region. People come from Maryland, D.C., Richmond, West Virginia, and even Delaware. This has been an incredibly positive experience. Unfortunately, it appears that the local and state governments have suddenly recently visited most of the local venues, enforcing minor rules that are making things more difficult. Some of these have been easy to adapt to for some venues but others are more crippling. I completely understand the need to enforce noise

ordinances, but some of the measures are overly draconian and run the risk of killing the golden goose that we all discovered together while undergoing hard times. I hope Falls Church and Virginia officials will take the big picture into consideration and find ways to be more flexible in working with local businesses for the greater good. It would be a shame if one of the only feel-good stories of 2020 were to have a sad ending. Rick Tiene Via the internet

F.C. Distillers Being Unfairly Targeted By New Noise Rules

Editor, Falls Church Distillers is doing an exceptional job at keeping their business afloat and thriving while making it a safe, positive and professional atmosphere for loyal patrons to gather and enjoy spirits and music. I’m not understanding why in the world the local police have targeted this local establishment. The constant harassment has demonstrated a lack of caring for the business and its patrons. I’ve been there countless times when the police have stalked the place and given warnings and tickets for noise violations — even when they said no one complained. And I witnessed a recent warning when the meter read one point over, and there was no music outside. Things have to change in Falls Church. Why is it that some venues can crank up the music so loud, and the Distillers can’t even have any music outside now, and get in trouble for noise coming from conversations? Sandi Redman Via the internet

P�� 1. Keep the news clean and fair. 2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy. 3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment. 4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe. 5. Accept no charity and ask no favors. 6. Give “value received” for every dollar you take in.

Call 532-3267 or visit www.FCNP.com

7. Make the paper show profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

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APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 7

Shopping at Clock Tower Thrift Shop Is An Easy Way to Help Families B� M�� W��

The Clock Tower Thrift Shop has been a fixture in Falls Church for more than 20 years, but I never knew about it. Despite driving by many times, I had always gone right past it on my way to Goodwill. Until one day, with donations in my car, I saw a small store on my right, near the Goodwill, with furniture out front and a sign saying “Donations Needed.” So, I drove around to the side door of the building, where a young man helped me unload my car, and after giving me a receipt, said “Thanks for supporting this charity, Ma’am”. Now curious about the place, I decided to go inside, and quickly look around. What I saw was a mixture of furniture, decor, clothing and collectibles. After browsing, and finding a few unique, bargain-priced treasures, I headed to the cashier, where I learned that that the shop supported Northern Virginia Family Service, a non-profit charity helping local families in need. I wanted to know more. I know that Falls Church, where I live, is known as one of the wealthiest areas in the country. It’s a great place to live, with safe neighborhoods, great, parks, schools, and restaurants, and I feel fortunate. Learning about the services that NVFS provides made me realize how easy it is to forget about the pockets

of poverty that are scattered throughout the region. Too many families living on the margins, trying to get by, with little or no safety net.

“Finding security and stability will continue to be a challenge for many families in our area. They face serious obstacles. NVFS helps keep poverty, food insecurity and homelessness from becoming an endless cycle.” The pandemic has hit these families disproportionately. Prior to the pandemic, these people were struggling to get by and were often working more than one job, particularly in service industries. On top of juggling a hectic work life, they had child care, unreliable transportation, the cost of rent and the cost of putting food on the table to worry about, their families were under stress. Now many

have either recently re-entered the work force after long layoffs or are still trying to rebound from lost jobs. They are suffering even more from uncertainty and stress. The majority of the people served are women and children in Fairfax County. Northern Virginia Family Service is able to offer them hope and support. Started back in 1924, NVFS has deep roots in the community. Today, aided by some strategic partnerships, they are able to provide a combination of vital resources and hands-on support to more than 40,000 people a year in Northern Virginia. NVFS is a beacon of hope to struggling families, as they find a way forward to financial self-sufficiency, emotional and physical health. It’s difficult to express just how much good this organization does, and what a difference they make in the lives of children and families living in poverty. Their comprehensive programs address basic needs: secure, affordable housing; job training for employment; access to health care and medications; child care and early childhood education; legal counseling and mental health issues, including aid to refugees recovering from trauma and torture. These are critically important in order for children to grow in a safe and nurturing environment. Children and families are at the heart

of NVFS. A chance for kids to gain the cognitive and social skills necessary for school is provided through Early Head Start and Head Start programs. Pregnant women and new parents get advice and education that includes classes and home visits. Helping families thrive helps prevents child abuse and neglect . NVFS also gives intensive training and certification before home placement in their Foster Care and Adoption programs. NVFS also manages a family homeless shelter that is Northern Virginia’s largest. Of residents there, 40 percent are children, and the average length of stay is less than two months. This is possible because of individual case managers who connect residents with tools, knowledge and resources — the building blocks they need for self-sufficiency. Finding security and stability will continue to be a challenge for many families in our area. They face serious obstacles. NVFS helps keep poverty, food insecurity and homelessness from becoming an endless cycle. Are you looking for ways to give back to the community? NVFS needs volunteers for many of their programs! There are individual, group, family and business opportunities, and so many ways you can contribute to the good work they do. Visit nvfs.org to learn more. Marjorie Wallach is a volunteer with the Clock Tower Thrift Shop

Q�� W�� What do you think of the timing of F.C. Schools’ full return to class? • Too late

• Too soon

• Just right

• Not sure

Visit www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

[WRITE FOR THE PRESS]

Last Week’s Question: Are you pleased with how much development has helped reduce F.C.’s tax rate?

37% Yes 13% Not Sure

50% No

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

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

PAGE 8 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021

LO CA L Where Beer Lovers Meet in Falls Church

NEWS BRIEFS Trammell Crow Retained For West End Development

Beer, Wine, and Food! Amazing Beer-to-go selection Indoor and outdoor seating Family friendly neighborhood pub Physically Distant, Socially Awesome Hours of Operation M-Thur • noon-10pm F-Sat • noon-midnight Sun • noon-9pm

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

See our website and Facebook page for our current beer menu, food menu, and event calendar!

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We accept most dental insurances including Medicare, Medicaid and Kaiser

We are OPEN and ready to safely serve your dental needs! Currently accepting new patients

At this Tuesday’s Falls Church Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting, Robin Bettarel at Hoffman and Associates, one of the three team members on the 9,600 acre West End Gateway project, announced that the nationally prestigious Trammell Crow Company has been retained to find tenants to fill the 134,000 square feet of office space there. EDA Chair Bob Young responded to the news saying, “In the current environment, it takes a lot of courage and a lot of money to build new office space. It appears that West Falls is not having a problem. When we can have Trammell Crow join the project in the West End, that’s an incredibly huge win. Trammel Crow is a huge national company, and if they’re willing to take on the West Falls office building, that’s amazing. Truly, truly amazing.” A virtual town hall on the overall West Falls Gateway project is now scheduled to be held next Wednesday, April 14, at noon where the public will be invited to ask questions. Access can be through the City’s website and a recording of it will be posted at www.fallschurchva. gov/webcasts.

F.C. Annual FY2022 Budget Town Hall Set The F.C. City Hall has announced that staff from the City government and public schools will present highlights and answer questions on the proposed fiscal year 2022 budget and Capital Improvements Program in a virtual town hall next Thursday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting can be accessed through the City’s website, fallschurchva.gov. Recordings of the meeting will be available later on www. fallschurchva.gov/webcasts.

F.C. Marks Child Abuse Prevention Month April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the City of Falls Church is working to raise awareness about the safety and wellbeing of children. Mayor David Tarter signed a proclamation on behalf of City Council, and a pinwheel garden is planted at the entrance of Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave.). National Wear Blue Day is on Friday, April 9, when individuals and organizations across the country will band together to make a visible commitment to preventing child abuse and helping make great childhoods happen. The pinwheel is the symbol of child abuse prevention and reflects childhood hope, health, and happiness. Pinwheel gardens are planted

by organizations, schools, and businesses in communities throughout the nation during National Child Abuse Prevention Month. City residents are encouraged to show support by planting a pinwheel in a flower pot or yard. Citizens are invited to explore the 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to learn more about the innovative ways that communities around the country are doing purposeful prevention work to help children and families thrive. Additional information and resources are available from the City’s Housing and Human Services division.

F.C. Drug Take-Back Day Set for April 24 With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration has announced the 20th Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for April 24, and the City of Falls Church Police Department will participate as a collection site. The public can drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications outside the Community Center, 223 Little Falls St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on that Saturday. The collection site will adhere to Covid-19 guidelines, including requiring face coverings and social distancing. The City of Falls Church Police will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. Vaping devices and cartridges are also accepted, provided lithium batteries are removed. At its last Take Back Day in October 2020, the DEA nationally collected a recordhigh amount of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs. Over the 10-year span of Take Back Days, the DEA has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs. With studies indicating a majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin prior to the Covid-19 health emergency, but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 9

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Virtual Information Seminar Thursday, April 22 at 11:00 a.m. ET. RSVP at themathertysons.com or email info@themathertysons.com.

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PAGE 10 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021

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Professionals Needed For Virtual Career Chats Professionals throughout the City of Falls Church are invited to participate in this year’s Virtual Career Chats. Members from a variety of industries are needed to talk with the City’s high school students about their post-high school career path, including interests, education and work experiences. Available dates are April 16 and 27 as well as May 7 and 14 from 10 – 11 a.m. After signing up, participants will receive information about accessing the virtual format. If interested, sign up by visiting docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLSd8KsaTvgZRejPW xlrEM4reEYvWxs4D3XYjZ9ZV8Ae3EK1sWw/viewform.

Safe Driving Effort Looking For N. Virginia Schools The Arrive Alive campaign focused on teen driving safety is looking to register middle schools and high schools in the Northern Virginia area to help boost awareness about teen driving safety.

The campaign, started by Virginia State Police, is sponsored by Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) and focuses on the increased risk of teen driver crashes during the spring and summer months. Throughout the campaign, high school students will lead peer-to-peer programs on speed prevention and seat belt use while middle school students will focus their messaging on being a safe passenger and always buckling up. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, 63 percent of young driver-related fatal crashes in 2020 were speed-related and 63 percent of the teens (ages 15-20) killed in crashes in 2020 were unrestrained. Most crashes take place between May and August. To address the seriousness of speeding among teens and buckling up among young drivers and passengers, YOVASO’s Arrive Alive Campaign offers several opportunities for students, schools, and youth groups to take action. The Creative Entry Competition is the highlight of this year’s campaign, providing

an option for student groups to participate in a behavior changing project for a chance to win cash prizes. High school and middle school student groups will compete separately. All creative entry messaging must be related to the Arrive Alive Campaign theme by addressing speed prevention at the high school level and seat belt use at the middle school level. All entries will be judged on content, creativity, and student involvement with prizes funded by State Farm being awarded as follows: 1st Place — $300, 2nd Place — $200 and 3rd Place — $100. Entries are due May 12 by 5 p.m. and winners will be announced on May 24. For guidelines and the entry form, visit the YOVASO’s website. For more information or to register for free campaign materials for your school or youth group, visit the campaign’s website at yovaso2001.wixsite.com/ arrivealive.

Program on Writing College Essays Held April 14 The College and Career Services that’s part of the high

THE MUSTANGS field hockey team was triumphant over visiting Culpeper County High School on March 25, taking a 2-2 victory against the Blue Devils in overtime. (P��: C�� S��) school in Falls Church City is working with experts to bring a program to the Mustang community on Wednesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. It is a stepping-off place for juniors to get a jump on thinking about their college essays, which is an important

and time-intensive part of the application process. Experts will lead the free 30-minute virtual webinar at Prompt. An RSVP is required for the free program, so visit share.hsforms.com/1QNqj teC2SW28joPLnKdhIQ1g7te to confirm attendance.

Send Us Your News & Notes!

The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes, School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged, get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!

Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Ave #310, Falls Church, VA 22046

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German Gourmet 5838 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041 703-379-8080 www.germangourmet.com

APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 11

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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PAGE 12 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

March Madness 2021 may be relegated to those who keep statistics and sports trivia for roll-out at future tourneys, but perhaps the most important result of this year’s NCAA tournament is a renewed focus on women’s basketball and, in turn, women’s sports overall. The glaring inequities about the women’s weight and training area in San Antonio may have been the catalyst for a lot of discussion and NCAA apologies last month, but apologies and lip service don’t cut it. Expeditious change is needed, now. The first NCAA men’s basketball tournament was held in Evanston, Illinois, in March 1939. The tournament was won by the Webfoots, now known as the Ducks, of the University of Oregon, who defeated Ohio State, 46 to 33. (In the spirit of full disclosure, my parents met that same year at Oregon, and I am a second generation “Duck.”) More than 30 years after that first men’s tournament, the Education Amendments of 1972 added Title IX, which protects people from discrimination, based on sex, in education programs or athletics in any educational institution that receives federal financial assistance. Title IX initiated a sea change for women’s programs, but it took another decade — 10 years! — for the NCAA to institute a women’s basketball tournament, in 1982. Women’s sports have come a long way since I was in school, when girls could play volleyball (using “girls” rules) field hockey, and tennis, but few other team sports were recognized and supported by their educational institutions (both high school and college). Title IX opened the floodgates for female athletes to pursue their chosen sports, but many barriers still exist, as exemplified by the weight and training inequities publicized by Sedona Prince, also an Oregon Duck, as she sought to work out in preparation for the Lady

Ducks’ appearance in the Sweet 16. Covid-19 often is used as an excuse/reason for not doing something, but the NCAA explanation fell flat. It shouldn’t matter whether a team is one of dozens in the preliminary rounds, or in the Final Four. An athlete is an athlete, regardless of gender; opportunities for training should be the same whether you are at the top or somewhere further down, and with similar, well-stocked facilities available to all competitors. If the NCAA truly values the athletes, rather than just the financial proceeds that accrue to the organization, it will work during the coming year to address the inequities that Ms. Prince and others pointed out so deftly. The women’s tournament showcased many talented women’s teams from across the country, and the championship game, between Stanford and Arizona (like my alma mater, Oregon, both are PAC-12 schools) was simply superb, with a one-point win by Stanford at the buzzer. The Covid-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for both amateur and professional team sports, and their many fans. Many of those challenges have been met, and overcome, by the athletes and their coaching staffs. In the spirit of never letting a crisis go to waste, they devised new approaches to training, practice, and the social interaction that is special to team sports. As the pandemic, hopefully, wanes, the NCAA and other sports organizations should take the lessons of the women’s basketball tournament to heart, and start recognizing women athletes as the first-class players they are. It shouldn’t take another 40 years.  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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CRIME REPORT Week of March 29 – April 4, 2021

Identity Theft, 300 blk Grove Ave, March 30, 2:41 PM, an incident of Identity Theft was reported. Destruction of Property, 1100

WWW.FCNP.COM

blk W Broad St, March 30, 6:22 PM, a window of a business was broken but no entrance was gained. Fraud/False Pretense, 1000 blk W Broad St, April 1, 12:52 PM, an incident of Fraud was reported. Shoplifting, 500 blk S Washington St, April 1, 1:43 PM, items of value were taken from a business. A male, 26, and a male, 26, both of District Heights, MD, were arrested for shoplifting, Indecent Exposure, 100 blk E Annandale Rd, April 4, 12:41 PM, a male, 39, of Arlington, VA, was arrested for indecent exposure.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

From the Front Row: Delegate Kaye Kory’s

Richmond Report Since the death of my longtime friend Ben — a rescued dog that I was fortunate enough to be able to invite into my family — I have thought deeply about the roles animals play in our lives and the roles we play in their lives. The humane treatment of animals has always been important to me as a legislator, community activist, parent, neighbor and sister. Advancing this value is complex and multitiered. I have sometimes been successful with my support of animal protection legislation. Animal welfare should never be a partisan issue, but frequently the General Assembly votes have broken along party lines. However, as the majority has moved into Democratic hands, we have had the opportunity to pass legislation that will protect and support animals in Virginia. I am proud that I successfully patronned the Humane Cosmetics Act in this session, making Virginia one of four states in the nation to protect animals from cruel cosmetics testing. My bill, HB2250, mandates that the sale of any personal products containing ingredients tested on animals in Virginia will be unlawful as of July 1, 2022. I have been working on this ban since I first introduced the bill in 2016. I have fought for legislation allowing a police person to break into a car to rescue a pet in danger of dying from heat or cold. I also worked to prohibit towing a car with a pet inside it after a constituent brought me her story: Her dog was inside her car when it was towed. She spent many hours trying to find her pet and car. When she finally located them, she was not allowed to free her dog until she had waited in a long line, filled out numerous forms and paid a fine. I worked with local governments and towing companies to prevent this from ever happening again. I have patronned legislation mandating the adoption of animals used in testing facilities against the fierce lobbying of universities performing that testing; mandating shelters to notify the public when planning to euthanize any animals due to

lack of space so that the animal may be adopted or moved to another shelter before euthanizing. I have supported expanding the legal definition of “service dog;” the decriminalization of catch and release of feral cats; the creation of the Registry of Adoptable & Transferable Companion Animals. I have worked legislatively and with community activists to ban puppy mills and puppy sales in pet shops. I have voted to ban tethering dogs outside in very cold or hot weather, and failing that outcome, to restrict the conditions in which that tethering may occur. Over my years in the House of Delegates, I have been proud to receive awards from the Humane Society, PETA, accolades from the Dog Army and from Humane Domain for my actions to protect animals. I intend to continue my battle for animal rights as a legislator, a community activist and rescued pet owner. I grew up with rescued dogs and cats. My mother taught us that it is irresponsible to purchase a pet when so many are in shelters without a forever home. Currently I live with two rescued cats and just lost my rescued dog (after 9 great years) to a neuropathy disorder. I support local rescue organizations and encourage others to do so at every opportunity. I founded the Legislative Animal Welfare Caucus in 2018. I have continued to Chair and staff this Caucus thus bringing diverse experiences and voices to the table in our search to make Virginia an animal-friendly and humane state. I actively support all animal rights legislation brought before the General Assembly. I am very concerned about the lack of enforcement of animal protection laws and will do all I can to increase funding for the Animal Law Unit in the Attorney General’s office. I will work to make our companion animal laws more inclusive. I pledge to Ben that I will explore all legislative and community-consensus avenues to end animal cruelty wherever it is found in our Commonwealth.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Who Is ‘Q?” Could It Be Putin?

America’s modern Day of Infamy, this most recent January 6, cannot be recalled without recalling the haunting question: Who was really behind it? Trump, himself? The Proud Boys? The Oath Keepers? QAnon? Surely, QAnon, whatever it is, seems to rise to the forefront as scenarios are rehashed again and again about the principle motivators for the huge assault on the nation’s Capitol that day. Most reviews of the many videos documenting the event reveal it was considerably bigger than many first thought, a massive physical assault and sacking of the nation’s most important seat and symbol of its democracy. Had a few things turned out differently, it truly could have interrupted the certification of the Electoral College FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS vote that day and could have resulted in a much higher loss of life, including of members of Congress and very possibly the vice president. For all its seemingly ubiquitous presence in the course of the 2020 presidential campaign and at the January 6 riot, Q and QAnon with all its symbols and pervasive followers amidst the fray, have remained mysterious, with most ordinary citizens baffled by the strength of its following. How can otherwise seemingly rational people believe the certifiably crazy belief system of this cult, even to the point of risking their lives and those of others to act on it? Its fundamental belief is that a Satan-worshipping cabal of elites who practice pedophilia is running the world from behind the scenes, and that Donald Trump is some kind of divine warrior sent to destroy it. Q him or herself, the belief goes, is some kind of deeply embedded but highlyplaced anonymous intelligence operative who sends cryptic messages out through the Internet to swelling numbers of followers. Two attempts to get at the root of this cult have been made in the past week, including the concluding sixth hour-long segment of a documentary series that aired on HBO last Sunday night, filmmaker Cullen Hoback’s “Q: Into the Storm,” where the identity of this Q figure is ostensibly revealed as one Ron Watkins, who until this point had only been seen as an operative of the mysterious Q’s efforts at posting online messages. The other was an essay published in Sunday’s Washington Post Magazine by Marisa Meltzer entitled, “The New Age Roots of Q: Masculinity, Spirituality and the Strange Convergence of Counterculture and Hate.” The former, Hoback’s documentary series that included many scenes of the sacking and tied together events leading up to it that surely linked Trump and key right wing allies like Gen. Flynn, Roger Stone, Alex Jones and Steve Bannon to it, failed for its unwillingness to deviate from its perceived primary goal of identifying who this ostensibly singular person, this anonymous character of Q, actually was, or is. Meltzer’s work does a much better job at identifying the problem represented by QAnon, which is to scan its core psychological elements and how they turned otherwise ordinary citizens, or so it would seem, into devotees of a completely crackpot belief system. Over time, it is this pursuit that is most important to our national security and national well being going forward. Meltzer uses her own involvement in the cults of the counterculture from an earlier period to help her readers grasp how someone could become a true believer in the QAnon world view. She defines one QAnon devotee as a “freedom fighter for Donald Trump...zeitgeist-y, sensitive New Age-guy version of masculinity and something more nefarious... of unlikely connections and strange bedfellows, of mixed martial arts fighters and poets, evangelical Christians and yoga teachers...a hybrid of conspiracy theory beliefs and New Age culture.” It goes back to the original so-called “men’s liberation” movement rooted in Robert Bly’s 1990 book, “Iron John” that spawned the current heavily bearded aesthetic among some males. She traces its beliefs back to ideas of Gnosticism from the era of early Christian sects. But the flaw is that it ends there. Myself once swept into a counterculture cult in the 1970s that provided key insights into their workings, the evidence points to a sophisticated psychological profiling cult operation whose roots go right back to the Soviet KGB and Vladimir Putin.

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APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

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

Diversity.” It delivers scene photos: diners inside restaurants, crowded sidewalks, costumed festivals, storefronts, a volunteer fireman, and a mariachi band. Published by Wolf’s friends at the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, it’s distributed by University of Virginia Press. Wolf is a 1970 graduate of Fairfax’s J.E.B. Stuart High School, which was renamed Justice High in 2018, and whose father worked in early computing — Dad was in on the Arlington-based Advanced Research Projects Agency project that helped spawn the Internet. During his nine years teaching at the H-B Woodlawn program, Wolf began his Pike work in 1979 to produce “The Arlington Photographic Documentary Project” with Endo under a grant from National Endowment for the Arts. Their work has received worldwide coverage, including by the Voice of America. One frustration is that Arlington has too few galleries, Wolf complained. His team’s work has been shown at Walter Reed Community Center, the George Mason campus, and the Columbia Pike Library, where the librarian was “a wonderful fellow, but not a curator.” He likes displays at Central Library. A Glencarlyn resident, Wolf thinks plenty about Arlington’s North-South divide. Though he declined to take a position on the ill-fated Pike streetcar, he said the idea that “the north supposedly has more wealth and less diversity is not entirely true.” The Buckingham and

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

The multi-hued palette of complexion and clothing that populates Columbia Pike was captured in crisp photography, ready for the rollout exhibit of 50 images, in March 2020. Then came the pandemic. So Lloyd Wolf, the photography teacher and talented lensman for hire who has been shooting on the Pike for four decades, had to bide his time as “business fell off a cliff.” We met last month at his favorite Pike haunt, Café Sazon, after I reviewed three volumes of photography he has shepherded with help from longtime collaborator Paula Endo. Their latest paperback, “Transitions: The Columbia Pike Documentary Project,” showcases stunning portraits and interviews by Wolf and Sushmita Mazumdar of personalities of all walks from 2015-2019. You can see more at cpdpcolumbiapike.blogspot.com. The folks profiled include county board member Katie Cristol; longtime Pike developer BM Smith’s president David Peete; civil rights pioneer Joan Mulholland of the Barcroft neighborhood and recently arrived Ethiopian immigrant Rozina Nigussie, a Washington-Liberty High School student who hopes to become a doctor. The ongoing project is funded by a Virginia humanities grant. The “soul” and diversity of the four-mile stretch called the Pike was captured by a team of photographers in the smaller hardback “Living

Westover apartments, for example, are in the north, while the affluence on Arlington Ridge Rd. is in the south. “But in general, south of Route 50 is less well off, is more affordable, so it attracted a lot of immigrants.” And there’s less of the “attitude” of snobbery, he agreed, though “some resentment of North Arlington,” whose residents may come to the Pike only occasionally for a meal. But Wolf is worried by change. With the arrival of Amazon, older structures are threatened to make way for higher-income housing. The Westmont Shopping Center on the Pike at S. Glebe Rd. is coming down to be replaced by market-rate apartments. “The Pike is less diverse than 10 years ago,” Wolf said. “You can tell by walking around.” *** The Postal Service’s troubles persist, as confirmed by friends’ tales of mail weeks late. But here’s a sympathetic word. I was recently hoisted on my own petard in an attempted gag. My brother and I have long corresponded using real addresses, but with fake identities for the recipient. So I mailed him a book addressed to “Long Snapper” Clark, an in-joke reference to his high school football days as center on the punting team. The book in transit got separated from the envelope. Weeks went by before I received a bureaucratic form apologizing, with a USPS invitation to file for an investigation. I filled it out (the probe is ongoing). And felt deservedly sheepish for tasking the federal bureaucrats with chasing down a stray item belonging to “Long Snapper.”

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 14

Preservation Biscuit Co.’s Southern Cooking Fills Bellies in F.C. by Patricia Leslie

Falls Church News-Press

Customers often line up through the doorway at the new Preservation Biscuit Company at the Southgate Village Shoppes on East Fairfax Street, which has been a regular feature of the restaurant since it opened on March 16. “It’s been crazy!” owner Tricia Barba exclaimed about her new restaurant. “We are very grateful [for the business] and still can’t believe it.” Waiting for those customers on the inside are Preservation’s warm and toasty biscuits, filled with strawberries and whipped cream or fried chicken or any of the other varieties available. That is, if they’re lucky enough to get them. Sellouts before the store closes at 3 p.m. are common, motivating Barba to hire more staff, including an additional biscuit maker. The carryout is managed by Jonathan Coombs, who prides himself on biscuit making. Weekend sales of 500 biscuits sold daily are almost double what Coombs and Barba predicted which is “taking more prep time than we thought,” Barba said. Chef Jon is “very particular on rolling the dough and how many times you have to fold it to get it the perfect height.” The best-seller by far is the fried chicken sandwich ($12.50) which she and Coombs created together. The duo have tinkered with ingredients several times, but now they think they’ve attained their unmatchable signature dish. The sandwich stands several inches high and its “secret sauce” (“I’m not giving away our sauce!” Barba joked when asked) mixes deliciously with a hint of Thousand Island dressing, bacon, hot honey, napa cabbage, gouda, pimento cheese and dijon mustard. On the tops are dabbles of what seems like orange paint applied by an impressionist. In addition to biscuits, there are breakfast meats ($2), pork and chicken embellishments, plain homemade jams ($1) and guacamole, egg, bacon, lemon aioli ($10) and more. Would you like prime rib with that biscuit? Coming right up with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and roasted bell peppercoulis ($13). A kid’s menu is

available, too ($6). Being a girl of the South, I know a thing or two about barbecue, especially when it comes to north of the Memphis, Tennessee line. So I can say that Preservation’s got some of the finest pork tasted in these parts, piled high ($3) on top of a tasty mountain of mac and cheese ($5) with a hidden crumbled biscuit sprinkled somewhere. I like my barbecue smothered in coleslaw, and Preservations’s slaw is crunchy and delicious, lacking gooey mayonnaise “expanders” to soak it all up, but $3 for about a fourth of a cup is a bit too steep for my wallet, even for slaw. On the sweet side, the “strawberry shortie” ($6.50) is a teaser, so big I saved my second half for “later” — which became “now” once I started eating. It has a mostly biscuit taste rather than a shortcake one, with a middle moisturized by oozing fruit and whipped cream. (The restaurant may add a “peach shortie” later.) Not everything is high calorie at Prevation Biscuit. There’s a Caesar salad ($8) and Barba plans to add some vegan selections, especially for Chef Jon’s palate. Southern roots seem to make biscuits better, and no one knows that more than Coombs who spent five years in the Army at Ft. Benning, Georgia where he developed a fondness for Southern cuisine. That experience helped spark his passion for cooking, leading to chefdom at area eateries after military life. (He served three tours of duty in Iraq and earned a Purple Heart.)

Barba and Coombs met at the Matchbox at Woodbridge where Coombs was executive chef and Barba was the brand marketing director. After coronavirus shut down that Matchbox, Barba, who likes “comfort foods, especially biscuits” started thinking about “one of my favorite things. With the hardship everyone has been going through and the whole pandemic, what does everyone need? Ultra comforting food.” She contacted Coombs: “What do you think about biscuits?” Together they chose “flour, butter, love” which is Preservation’s mantra. Barba was born and raised in Washington, D.C., but “I just thought this concept would work

well here. A lot of my friends live in Falls Church which has that ‘small town’ feel.” Barba looked at spaces in D.C., Vienna, and other Virginia spots. Falls Church beat them all. “It may seem crazy to some, opening [a restaurant] right now, but it was a good opportunity to get some space on good terms,” Babra said. Just before opening day, last minute tech problems created major headaches, but in true Falls Church fashion, the owners of Thompson Italian and Spin Pollo came to the rescue to help launch their new neighbors’ restaurant. Barba is donating $1 from the sale of one biscuit every week to local charities, like Homestretch, Inc., Falls Church Educational Foundation and Columbia Baptist Food Pantry. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday with plans to open on Tuesday. Order from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at 102 East Fairfax Street, Falls Church 22046, 571-378-1757 or for assured orders, visit preservationbiscuit.com. Don’t forget the sausage gravy ($3)! Or just plain ole biscuits are available, too ($3).

THE HARRIED PACE of their first few weeks being open has left owner Tricia Barba (bottom photo, left) and lead biscuit maker Jonathan Coombs struggling to keep up with demand. It’s a good problem to have for the new business, but it means they’ve also had to cut off orders for popular items like their fried chicken sandwich (top photo) once they run out of biscuits. (Photo: Patricia Leslie)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

F� � � � C � � � � �

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APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 15

B�� N�� N�� Eden Center Highlighted in the Washington Post’s Food Section The Eden Center was highlighted in the Washington Post’s Food Section this past week. “Taste Vietnam through these 7 dishes at Eden Center, including banh mi, roast duck and skewers” is available now online at www.washingtonpost.com or by visiting The Eden Center’s Facebook Page.

PowerLink Nonprofit Offering Free Workshops PowerLink, a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses grow, is offering its Online Business Growth Group Community Advisory Board workshops for free to Falls Church businesses through the month of April. The events are designed to help small business owners and consultants dramatically increase revenue. Sessions that address recurring revenue and pricing models that capture higher retention rates will be held Monday, April 12 from 4:30 – 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 14 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., and Tuesday, April 20 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This is an opportunity to join other small business owners retooling from Covid-19 in an interactive and informative setting. This session will be led by Anita Brattina, CEO of Powerlink and an extremely experienced business owner who has run numerous million-dollar business. The events will be co-led by Patricia DiVecchio, CEO of International Purpose, and qualified advisors will also assist. To register, text 703-200-3447 with a YES, your name, email address, and the preferred date of attendance.

NOVA Spring Semester Registration Now Open Registration for Northern Virginia Community College’s spring semester is now open. Courses are being offered in a variety of ways to suit schedules and learning styles — in the classroom, online, or through a combination of methods. Sessions will start May 17, June 1, June 14 and June 29. Dynamic session classes start and end at any time before or after the regular session dates above. Students enrolled at other colleges and universities can take summer classes at NOVA while they are home and save time and money by registering as a visiting student, with the credits transferring to the student’s home college or university. Visit www. nvcc.edu for more information.

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Vaccine Resources For Businesses Now Available New vaccine related resources for business leaders are now available online through Reimagine Main Street. Resources available include general vaccine information, vaccine tip sheets for small business owners, and communications strategies for businesses encouraging vaccinations in order to fully open the economy. Reimagine Main Street is powered by Public Private Strategies. The vaccine resource page is at www.ReimagineMainStreet.org/vaccine-resources.

Caveonix Announces Partnership With Three Wire Systems, LLC. Caveonix, the company behind the first continuous cloud governance platform that supports the hybrid cloud, announced its partnership with Three Wire Systems, LLC, a leading provider of technology solutions for government agencies and large enterprises. Both companies are based in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.caveonix.com and www.threewiresys.com.

Toy Nest & Clare & Don’s Beach Shack Partner to Support Young Families The Toy Nest and Clare & Don’s Beach Shack have partnered to support young families. Join the Toy Nest for in-library play or borrowing on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 11 a.m. – 3 a.m., and get a free child’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal at Clare and Don’s. Offer is available for dine-in or carry-out and requires a same-day Toy Nest coupon. For information about the Toy Nest, located at 98 N. Washington Street, visit www.thetoynest.com, or about Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, located at 130 N. Washington Street, visit www.clareanddons.com.  Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.

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NEXT THURSDAY, APRIL 15TH

TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAPER!

THIS WEEK APRIL 8TH WILL BE AT: SOLACE

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PAGE 16 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR LOCALEVENTS THURSDAY, APRIL 8 News-Press “Spot of the Week.” Interested readers and supporters of the Falls Church NewsPress can join the staff at a restaurant in or around the City of Falls Church to celebrate the paper’s weekly publication. Learn how to become a member of the News-Press, get a chance to purchase one of the paper’s books, “The Front Page: The First Five Years: 1991 – 1996” or just get to know members of the staff better. This week the News-Press will be at Solace Outpost (444 W. Broad Street, Falls Church) from 6 – 8 p.m.

ees will find fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church) 8 a.m. – noon. For more information, visit the Calendar item’s page at fallschurchva.gov/547/ Farmers-Market-To-Go. Spring Peeper Bowl. Interested participants can join the Arlington Parks staff as they learn about and search for the tiny tree frogs and other amphibians native to Glencarlyn Park during this sunset walk. Families. Register children and adults; children must be accompanied by a registered adult. To register, contact 703-2284747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 7 – 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10

SUNDAY, APRIL 11

Falls Church Farmers Market. The Falls Church Farmers Market runs every Saturday, where attend-

Salamander Search. Spring is the best season for salamanders, and Arlington Parks staff will educate

the group on what makes them so special and which species people can find in Arlington. After that, the group will go on a search for salamanders throughout Glencarlyn Park. For teens ages 13 – 17. Adults can either attend or drop off teens, but must sign a Registration Form. To register, contact 703-2284747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). Noon – 1 p.m. Tiny Tot: Bubbles. Tiny Tot programs provide opportunities to interact one-on-one with young children while discovering the wonders of nature. Each program will engage children with hands-on learning and may include a variety of activities like songs, crafts, finger plays and mini-hikes. This session’s program focuses on how bubbles are formed and why they can withstand soft touches without popping. Adults must remain during the entire program. Ages

1 – 3. $5 fee due upon registration. To register, contact 703-2284747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 10 – 10:30 a.m. 703-228-6535.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, APRIL 8 Thursday Evening Book Group (online). The Thursday Evening Book Discussion Group normally meets on the second Thursday evening of each month in the library’s conference room. This month’s book is “Nothing to See Here” by Kevin Wilson. This discussion will be held online. To request a Zoom invite, email Marshall Webster at mwebster@ fallschurchva.gov. 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.

MONDAY, APRIL 12 ESOL

Conversation

Group

(online). Interested participants can practice their English with a weekly ESOL conversation group. This program meets online via Zoom. To request a Zoom invite, email Marshall Webster at mwebster@fallschurchva.gov. 7 – 8:30 p.m.

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

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE NEWS-PRESS

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Act, Section 2.2-3708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the COVID-19 declared emergency. 7:30 – 11 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 13 Great Books Discussion (online). A “Great Books” discussion concentrating on literary classics (both traditional and modern) meeting on the second and fourth Tuesday most months, hosted by Mary Riley Styles Public Library. This month’s book is “Theory of the Leisure Class” by Thorstein Veblen. This discussion will be held online. Visit fallschurchva. gov/LibraryAtHome for details. 7 – 8:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14 Author Talk with Joby Warrick (online). Pulitzer Prize-winning author Joby Warrick will join the staff at Mary Riley Styles Public Library to discuss his new book “Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America’s Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World,” which explores the unknown story of America’s mission in Syria to find and destroy Syria’s chemical weapons and keep them out of the hands of the Islamic State. The Guardian calls it “Another highly readable and well-sourced work, a bleak but real-life thriller. Its characters include ordinary Syrians, spies, diplomats, UN experts and Americans who worked hard to destroy Assad’s chemical weapons arsenal, only to discover that they had not completed their task.” Warrick has been a reporter for The Washington Post since 1996. He has twice won the Pulitzer Prize, for journalism and for his book “Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS.” He is also the author of “The Triple Agent.” Email Marshall Webster at mwebster@fallschurchva.gov for the Zoom invitation. 7 – 8 p.m.

THEATER&ARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 9 “Boredom, Fear and Wine.”

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APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 17

Providence Players of Fairfax is releasing their latest production, a virtual show titled “Boredom, Fear and Wine,” which will run from April 9 – 11. To watch the one-act, 15 minute play is free, but donations are strongly encouraged. The play is about how when you’re stuck at home during a global pandemic, everything happens online — even therapy. Harper is suffering, and can’t reconcile feelings about the terrifying disease with the monotony of lockdown. Jess tries to be a sympathetic ear, but the session goes off the rails. Providenceplayers.org.

VIRTUAL (ON DEMAND) Daniel J. Watts’ “The Jam: Only Child” (online). In Daniel J. Watts’ “The Jam: Only Child,” a nod to his great-grandmother’s plentiful recipe and the spirited spontaneity of jazz, 2020 Tony Award nominee Daniel J. Watts (Hamilton, Ike Turner in “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) recounts his life as the only child of a single mother. From the fierce growing pains of boyhood innocence to the awkwardness of teenage years to a proud Black man, Daniel digs through his memory’s attic in a powerful and playful story of metamorphosis. Bursting with lyricism, dynamic tap dance, and heart, this delectable treat is a little bit savory, a little bit sweet, and a little bit sticky — but it’s all good. $35. Sigtheatre.org.

LIVEMUSIC THURSDAY, APRIL 8 CryBaby Comedy Show. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-858-9186. Sol Roots Band Live. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703241-9504. Mama’s Black Sheep + Christine Havrilla: Outdoor Concert. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). 7 p.m. 703-255-1566.

BONGO DISTRICT will be Jammin’ Java in Vienna on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo) Surfabilly Vibe. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703237-0300.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9 Brook Yoder Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Acme Band Company. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186. Josh Allen Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-2419504. Caligula Blushed — A Tribute To Morrissey & The Smiths. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703237-0300. MTV Alice in Chains “Unplugged”

(Indoors + Distanced). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.

Collective. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-237-0300.

Anne-Marie McDermott, piano. Presented by Wolf Trap. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1900.

Sol Roots & Eric Scott Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7:45 p.m. 703-2419504.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10 Free Flowing Musical Experience. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 2 p.m. 703-858-9186. City Farm Band Bluegrass (Newgrass). JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11 One Chance Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 3:30 p.m. 703-2419504.

Bongo District: Outdoor Concert. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). 6:30 p.m. 703-2551566.

Grateful Jams — open jam for the extended Grateful Dead repertoire (bring your own instrument or use those graciously provided by hosts). Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-858-9186.

The Atlantic Aesthetic. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186.

The High & Wides. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-2370300.

Calendar Submissions Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 105 N. Virginia Ave., #310, Falls Church, VA 22046

Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information. Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.

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Faces of Falls Church

A STRING of yard signs calling for the schools to reopen are found along Lincoln Avenue in the City of Falls Church. (Photo: News-Press)

Noonan: Students Prioritized During Reopening Continued from Page 3

couldn’t figure out how to reopen. She felt that FCCPS wasn’t realizing the impact that it was having on a lot of the families in the City, especially those that weren’t as well-heeled as its high-priced homes make it out to seem. It’s a tad ironic, too, since Keating’s kidney donation to Jefferson Elementary teacher Torey Fay helped the school system prevent any faculty attrition during the course of the pandemic, not including the teachers who opted out for this school year and will return for 2021-22. The influence of teachers and other staffers has had a discernible impact on the pace of reopening. During a school board meeting in July, Falls Church schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan brought up that members of the custodial staff at George Mason High School had gotten Covid19 — without any students in the building. That contributed to anxiety among teachers, and were major reasons why the hybrid reopening plan that over 90 per-

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

cent of survey respondents supported for the fall semester was scrapped for a full-time virtual one instead. After the first wave of vaccinations in mid-January and improving data to boot, Noonan was eyeing a return to hybrid instruction later that same month. But in his words, “there was a rather significant pushback to the plan.” He said quite a few teachers wrote to him and to the school board about their concern for the reopening timeline. So they did push back the target date for coming back to the hybrid return by three weeks. Noonan made it clear that he didn’t “acquiesce to anyone” by delaying that reopening date. However, he also acknowledged that his proposed reopening plan may have caused teachers to leave the system altogether, ultimately motivating the postponement. “So rather than put our teachers in a position where they had to make a hard decision about whether to quit or to return...I made a decision to push the reopening to ensure that we had best continuity of service for the students,”

Noonan said. Noonan also countered the narrative that teachers had a louder voice in the reopening process than families did. To him, the students’ interests were always the most important. But parents didn’t receive the message the same way. “I didn’t think they were going to make a decision based on parent input. Let me put it that way. Because they don’t make any decisions based on what the parents actually want, it seems to me,” said Stephanie Amoroso, a City resident who got her fourth grade daughter into private school in Annandale in August and has a deposit down for her fifth grade son to attend a different private school as well. Before going that route, she debated moving herself and her children to her native Connecticut just to get access to schools, even while her husband would’ve stayed in Virginia for work. These parents chose to remove their kids from Falls Church schools because they saw how the

Continued on Page 23

ANYONE PASSING BY the Harris Teeter on West Broad St. has undoubtedly heard the trumpet of Johnnie Johnson. Johnson came to Falls Church in April of 2020 after the VA helped this veteran find a place to live. Playing for 50 years he hopes to be able to play inside some of the local establishments once things get back to normal. When asked if he had anything he wanted people to know he quipped, “Tell ‘em I take tips!” (Photo: J. Michael Whalen/JMichaelWhalen.com)

RACHEL RELOCATED from a small apartment in Washington DC during the height of the pandemic to Hillwood. She currently works as a consultant. This photographer was lucky enough to catch her passing the Falls Church Antique Annex. (Photo: J. Michael Whalen/JMichaelWhalen.com)

Week of 4/5/21 - 4/11/21 FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

APRIL 8 - 14, 2021 | PAGE 19

by Margie E. Burke

The Weekly Crossword ACROSS 1 Not quite right 6 Fencing sword 10 Burglar's take 14 Two make a diameter 15 Wartime partner 16 Gawk at 17 Market indicator 18 Here or there 20 Theater backdrop 22 One taking orders 23 ____ to rest 24 Suede outfit? 25 Joshua tree habitat 28 Old West chasers 29 Caribou kin 30 Branch of philosophy 35 Animal house? 37 Polished off 38 "Star Wars" captain 39 Scatter among 44 It paves the way 45 Arrive, as darkness 46 School-skipper 48 Desk accessory 51 Word in a Lady Gaga film title 52 Elie Wiesel's "Night" is one 53 Split up 57 Pronounce distinctly 59 Tuckered out 60 End of a winning streak 61 Tall tale teller 62 Flip over 63 Genealogy diagram 64 On pins and needles 65 Substantial DOWN 1 Cultural pursuits

by Margie E. Burke 5

28 31

37 40

STRANGE BREW

JOHN DEERING

45 49

29 35

10 16

23 25

54 59

2 Place to trade 3 Anagram for aide 4 Unattached 5 One way to pitch 6 Lightened (up) 7 Story element 8 Colonnade tree 9 Optical solution 10 Part of a pope's title 11 Playing marble 12 Worrier's worry 13 Suspicious 19 O'Keeffe subject 21 Place to build 24 Hard drinker 25 Supermarket section 26 Sparkle 27 Comedy routine 28 Communion plate 31 Snouted critter 32 Teensy bit 33 Reunion bunch 34 Database command

36 Answer 40 Excavation find 41 Like OR instruments 42 "Quit it!" 43 Printing error 47 Still too green 48 Refine, as ore 49 Bocelli, for one

50 Comedian's job 51 Smelling of suds 53 Like bachelor parties 54 Word after gray or play 55 It may be pitched 56 Circular current 58 Lend a hand

Sudoku

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

Answers to Last Week's Crossword:

S H A R P A B L E C A S E

M A N O R

O U T G O

G L E E C L S S U L O B O P T H O O P A M E N O N E R E W E R

G E E S E L V E C E D E N R E N T E S S A T T E R M E D A E L E G T R I M D A P S A L S R A S H Y S T I C S U S H O N S E

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

P A N A M A H A T

A N T I

N E O N

C U T E

K E E N

G R O P E

L O U S E

E N T E R

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

3/28/21

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

1. What baseball executive served as president of the American League from 1974-83? 2. Name the NFL running back who repeatedly said “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” at a Super Bowl XLIX media-day press conference. 3. Brazilian footballer Manuel Francisco dos Santos, famous for his spectacular dribbling, was better known by what nickname? 4. On June 30, 1970, the Atlanta Braves’ Hank Aaron hit the first home run in the history of what stadium? 5. What boxing writer and sports historian, known for his signature fedora and cigar, was editor and publisher of “The Ring” magazine from 1979-83? 6. What sport, originating in Spain in 2005, combines volleyball, soccer and gymnastics with music, and is played on an inflatable court with trampolines on both sides of the net? 7. Mexico’s premier motorsports track is named after two brothers who both died in auto-racing incidents nine years apart. Who are they? Answers 1. Lee MacPhail. 2. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks. 3. Garrincha. 4. Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. 5. Bert Sugar. 6. Bossaball. 7. Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez. © 2021 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

PAGE 20 | APRIL 8 - 14, 2021

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C L AS S I FI ED S HELP WANTED Help Wanted Maintains the overall appearance of cemetery, mausoleum and/or funeral home locations, which may include: maintenance and grounds keeping, locating grave sites, digging graves, installing crypt faces,conducting interments, entombments and inurnments, and simple repairs and maintenance tasks. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES - Cuts grass, maintains lawn, trims around trees, walkways and memorial markers, lays sod, moves and removes flowers to and from chapel and graveside - Clears debris and maintains drives and walkways which may require snow removal depending on location - Erects tents, canopies and arranges chairs for graveside ceremony - Assists with setup for openings and closings for interments, entombments and inurnments - Arranges chapel for services - Prepares crypts for entombments - Under supervision, may operate backhoe to dig graves without damage to surrounding vaults, markers or monuments - Installs grave markers, bronze memorials, crypt faces, etc. - Maintains and repairs existing markers and other cemetery features - Maintains, services, cleans and properly stores equipment - General maintenance of vehicles - Cleans and maintains facility to include performing minor repairs, painting, etc. - Observe safety rules and ensure compliance with the operating procedures of corporate, federal, state and local regulations, including OSHA regulations and Safety and Environmental guidelines. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Education - High school education or equivalent or relevant work experience Experience - Minimum 6 months of relevant experience Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: - Ability to operate hand-held tools and equipment, including, but not limited to a shovel, pick, rake, sledge hammer, lawn mower, weed trimmer and leaf blower - Ability to accurately use measuring devices (i.e. tape measure, yard-stick, etc.) - Ability to walk and stand for long periods of time - Ability to lift up to 150 with equipment assistance - Ability to push and pull up to 300 lbs. - Ability to communicate effectively with associates, contractor personnel and client families - Ability to work in extreme weather conditions - Ability to adapt to changing work schedules and multi-tasking - Basic computer skills to enable retrieving and responding to email Communications Please contact: Larry Milligan Larry.Milligan@ dignitymemorial.com or 540-467-0401

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinances referenced below were given first reading on March 22, 2021. Public hearings are scheduled for Monday, April 12, 2021 and Monday April 26, 2021, with second reading and final Council action scheduled for Monday, April 26, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard.

(TO21-04) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022: 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: $106,001,174 for the General Fund revenues and expenditures. $4,490,000 for the Sewer Fund revenues and expenditures. $1,708,000 for the Stormwater Fund revenues and expenditures. $53,620,529 for the School Operating Fund revenues and expenditures. $2,330,700 for the School Community Service Fund revenues and expenditures. $1,025,357 for the School Food Service Fund revenues and expenditures. $217,496 for the Cable Access Fund revenues and expenditures. (TO21-05) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE FY2022-FY2027 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 Total proposed CIP appropriations for FY22 are $7,685,924, offset by $3,249,000 in grants and other outside revenues. (TO21-06) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2022 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 2021 The proposed real estate tax rate for the tax year beginning July 1, 2021 is: $1.34 upon each $100.00 of assessed value of real estate in the City of Falls Church, which is a decrease in the current tax rate. This is the “Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment” as defined by state law. 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, 2021 is: $5.00 upon each $100.00 of assessed value on tangible personal property, and machinery and tools, and all other property segregated by law for local taxation within the City, including the property separately classified by Section 58.1-3500 et seq. of the Code of Virginia except such personal property as is exempted; and except that pursuant to Section 58.1-2606 of the Code of Virginia, a portion of assessed value of tangible personal property of public service corporations shall be taxed at the real estate rate. (TO21-07) 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, 2021 Under the legal authority granted by VA § 15.2-2114, an increase to the City stormwater utility unit billing rate from $18.36 per 200 square feet of impervious surface (billing unit) to $18.72 per billing unit annually is proposed, effective July 1, 2021, which would constitute an increase of 2% per billing unit. Public hearings will be held electronically. To speak on a public hearing item, complete a speaker form at www.fallschurchva.gov/

PublicComment before noon on the day of the Council meeting. Following submission of the form, you will receive emailed instructions to join the virtual Council meeting. Written public hearing comments may be sent until noon on the day of the meeting to cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. Council members will attend the meeting through electronic means and members of the public may view the meeting at www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings and on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711). CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK

PUBLIC NOTICE Variance application V1621-21 by Sajeel Ahmed, applicant and owner, for a variance to Section 48-238(3)a., to allow (1) a front setback of 25.4 feet instead of 30 feet along the South Oak Street frontage, and (2) a front setback of 15 feet instead of 30 feet along the Timber Lane frontage, and a variance to Section 48-1102(e)(1)c. to allow a porch to extend 3.5 feet into the setback established by this variance application for the purpose of reconstructing a fire damaged single family home on existing foundations on premises known as 400 South Oak Street, RPC #52-206-064 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A, Low Density Residential Variance application V1622-21 by Nisha Thirumurthy, applicant and owner, for a variance to Section 48-238(3)a., to allow (1) a front setback of 26.1 feet instead of 30 feet, and (2) a side setback of 9.1 feet instead of 12 feet, for the purpose of constructing a second story addition on premises known as 702 Berry Street, RPC #53-124-013 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A, Low Density Residential Public hearing on the above matter is scheduled for April 15, 2021, 7:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the item may be heard. All participating members of Board of Zoning Appeals will be present at this meeting through electronic means. Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@ fallschurchva.gov until 4:30 pm on April 15, 2021. Virtual meeting link, agenda and application materials will be available the week prior to the scheduled hearing at: http://www. fallschurchva.gov/BZA Information on the above application is also available for review upon request to staff at zoning@fallschurchva.gov.

ABC NOTICE Lion Hearted LLC, Trading as: Galleria FLORIST, 248 W. BROAD ST. Falls Church, 22046. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine & Beer On Premises. Alisa Rabinovich, Authorized Signatory OF Lion Hearted LLC, the Operating Member of Galleria FLORIST. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200. AUCTIONS

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C L AS S I F I E DS Home Improvement

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereb y informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

ATTN. CONTRACTORS: Advertise your business statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions to reach Homeowners. Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

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APRIL 8 - 14, 2021| PAGE 21

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KIDS LOVE SCALLIWAG By Eileen Levy

Let’s walk in the park You bark, I’ll hark!

LO CA L

PAGE 22 | APRIL 8 – 14, 2021

BACK IN THE DAY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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25 � 10 Y�� A�� N��-P�� Falls Church News-Press Vol. VI, No. 5 • April 4, 1996

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XXI, No.6 • April 7, 2011

Lift the Height Limit? Debate To Do So Begins With Possible Hotel Development

F.C. Council Mulls Boosting Take Home Pay for City Employees

Falls Church City officials began talking publicly for the first time Tuesday about promoting development of a large hotel and conference facility at the west end of the city to both tap the potential and help meet the needs of the Graduate center being constructed there.

A salary bonus, perhaps, but how much? The Falls Church City Council at a budget work session last Thursday heard a report on the psychological state of the City’s workforce in the face of projected further cuts to take home pay, and began talking about providing one-time bonuses to soften austerity’s blow.

F.C. Schools Continued from Page 4

through it all, the vast majority of the Falls Church community has been thoughtful, caring, and kind as we have made our way through to the very best of our ability. As a parent, it has never been more evident to me the role the school plays in a community. I am sure you are feeling it too. This is a responsibility we, as FCCPS employees,

have taken seriously since over a year ago. Through measured steps, we will be the first public school system in the greater DC region to reopen. “Tuesday after spring break represents a celebration of what a community of people can do when they come together, share honestly and respectfully, and trust one another. This is the culture and ethos I have been trying to build in FCCPS since my arrival as Superintendent.

“I hope that next week brings a sense of renewal, hope, and light for you as spring is here, and the outlook for the future appears to be very bright for our Little City. “Be safe, continue the mitigation strategies, remain vigilant, and let your kids play hard this break. You all deserve this time after the ‘Winter of Discontent,’ and we ‘round the bend’ towards the ‘Glorious Summer.’ I couldn’t resist the Shakespeare reference from Richard III.”

“HER NAME IS SADIE!” That’s all the human who owns this cat decided to tell us, but we’d like to think that Sadie is a bit more sophisticated than that. Maybe she has a green paw (hence the plants). Or maybe not. The mystery lives on... Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

Jacob Sanchez Diagnosed with autism

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Unenrollment Continued from Page 18

closures affected their children. West, the parent who moved her kids to Loudoun County, felt like her kids’ social and emotional development went backwards while only online. Amoroso said her son lost the joy and curiosity in his interests due to extensive virtual learning. And despite some early fears of in-person schooling once arriving in Georgia, Keating said her daughter and son have been thriving since they went back to class. All the parents who spoke with the News-Press sympathized with the gravity of these choices Noonan and the school board have made along the way, especially during the initial Covid outbreak last spring. There were plenty of unknowns about what kind of virus the world was dealing with. Though as time went on and new data showed that schools weren’t hotspots for the disease, it became harder for them to stick by not reopening. For Paul Thomas, a City resident whose fifth grade daughter attends a private school in Annandale and whose seventh grade daughter is still with Falls Church schools, it was a study done by Duke University that convinced him school leadership wasn’t paying close enough attention to the science. That study, published in January, looked at 11 school districts in North Carolina over a nine week period that encompassed 90,000 students and staff attending in-person instruction. Contact trac-

ing as a part of the study found that there were 773 cases acquired from the community. Tracking community spread has been billed as an essential statistic in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reopening guidance, and is used by state agencies such as the Virginia Department of Health when giving advice to local school districts. Based on that data, researchers would have expected 800 – 900 secondary infections in schools. But the study found that only 32 infections were acquired within schools through secondary transmission. The CDC’s missteps have become a larger part of the reopening conversation lately. A team of researchers found that three-feet of distancing was possible — along with masking and other mitigation measures — after they studied how it played out in Wisconsin schools. In a USA Today column in March, they said that the CDC didn’t take that data or analysis into account for its own reopening guidance, despite publishing it in one of their reports. Noonan told the News-Press he hasn’t questioned the CDC’s authority on reopening since they worked so closely with VDH. He also said it wasn’t necessarily that the articles and studies sent to him by parents weren’t convincing, but they weren’t in line with the guidance he was receiving from the VDH. For instance, while the American Association of Pediatrics advised schools to reopen over the summer, it said businesses should remain closed. Noonan felt that, given there was some logical inconsistency with its advice, it was unfair for people to jump

LO CA L solely on the bit of information that pertained to school reopenings. There was no penalty for not following the VDH’s guidance on reopening, according to Noonan. But he did say he felt hamstrung by the fact that they only told schools how they could reopen; they never outright said when they could reopen if the data crossed a certain threshold, putting the ball firmly in his court to make that judgment call. Though Noonan did admit that, in hindsight, the schools could’ve reopened earlier in the fall since the community’s virus data was much better than it would eventually become by the holiday season. He did add that the holiday closure likely would have still happened, which most parents agreed with as well. Some of the parents suggested they’re considering rejoining Falls Church schools once Covid closures are no longer a thing. Noonan himself said that he’s seeing parents returning to the public schools from either homeschooling or pods they had set up on their own. But for others, such as Austin Middleton who has his sons enrolled in second grade and kindergarten at Saint James Catholic School, there’s no thought of returning. He cited his lack of faith in Noonan’s leadership as the primary reason. “We are grateful for the opportunity to place our children with those whom we trust; we are happy to make the financial sacrifice to do so,” Middleton wrote to the NewsPress. “Had COVID not helped us make the choice to enroll at St. James, I am sure we would be returning to FCCPS once we were satisfied with the administration.”

APRIL 8 – 14, 2021 | PAGE 23

DRESSED AND READY for her first day of school in October is Meredith West’s kindergartener. West’s family made the move to Loudoun County in January so both of her children could get access to in-person schooling. (P��: C�� M�� W��)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 24 | APRIL 8 - 14, 2021

4/14/2021.

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Open Saturday and Sunday 1-4 in Falls Church! Rarely available end unit townhouse in Montivideo Square! This bright, sunny home is full of natural light! Beautiful newly finished hardwood floors on both the main and upper levels, and new carpet in the lower level. The main level has an updated kitchen opening to the dining room with sliding glass doors to deck that overlooks private wooded common area! The upper level has three bedrooms including master suite with fireplace! Sunny walkout lower level has family room, half bath, and large storage area. Priced at $695,950. Call Karin for more info 703-626-3257. 2116 Glenn Spring Court, Falls Church.

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