May 21 – 27, 2020
FA LLS CHUR C H, V I R G I NI A • WW W. FC NP. C OM • FR EE
FOU N D E D 1991 • V OL. X XX NO. 14
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84 F.C. Small Businesses Win $2,000 EDA Micro Grants Ordered Closed Due to Covid-19 Pandemic, Local Establishments Awarded Vital Help
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
No less than 84 qualified small businesses in the City of Falls Church will receive $2,000 checks from the City’s Economic Development Authority shortly, it
was announced yesterday. The swiftly-organized EDA Small Business Micro Grant program, originally set up just two weeks ago to provide up to 50 local businesses with the special aid in the face of the Covid19 pandemic, wound up being
F.C. City Gets Modest Federal Help For Rent Relief Programs BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Some modest resources have been added to the arsenal of the City of Falls Church’s efforts to assist residents suffering from the economic effects of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the F.C. City Council learned at its online work session Monday night. Dana Lewis of the City’s Housing and Human Development department reported that $39,095 in federal CARES Act funding has come to the City to buoy its emergency rent assistance program where, so far, 14 requests for help have been received. Lewis noted the requests came without any announcements about the availability of the program, and expects that with notoriety there will be more.
The program is set up to provide $700 a month of rent assistance for up to three months. “We expect our existing funds to run out quickly,” Lewis said, even with the added CARES Act money augmenting the only $6,000 the City usually has set aside for the purpose. She said the program is being expanded to include anyone earning up to 80 percent of the region’s average median income (AMI), and that most of those who’ve stepped forward to date are laid off restaurant workers. Lewis said she expects that soon, when the current funds run out, there will be a waiting list in hopes the City can come up with more funds to help, even as the City faces the pressure to make unprecedented cuts in its operating budgets for the current year requiring an
Continued on Page 5
extended to cover the larger number when applications as of last Friday night ballooned to 84. All the businesses met the simple guidelines, having revenues of between $50,000 and $500,000 annually. “I am proud of the swift action
of the EDA members and the many staff at City Hall who made this grant program possible,” local developer Bob Young, who is the EDA chair, told the News-Press. “All worked overtime and quickly to make this program happen swiftly and efficiently,” he
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added, explaining that “as authorized by the EDA members when the program was approved, a committee was formed to extend the program to a maximum of $250,000. The committee decided
Continued on Page 4
THE FELLOWS PROPERTY sitting across from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School on South Oak Street was torn down this past week. It’s a major step in a process that was started back in 2005 by the City of Falls Church, which plans to use the nearly two acres the site provides for use of either a new park or an extension of the elementary school. (P����: G��� M�����)
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SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9
SEE STORY, PAGE 8
The Virginia Department of Health has expanded the efforts of the local health districts to increase the capacity of Covid-19 testing. This week, there will be over 25 drive-thru and walk-up events coordinated by the Department of Health with a capacity of 14,000 tests.
Unfortunately, the 39th celebration of the City of Falls Church’s annual Memorial Day Parade — it’s largest event on the calendar — will have to wait until 2021 as this year’s parade has been canceled due to the continued spread of the novel coronavirus.
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Northern Virginia’s own “Rockin’ the Suburbs” podcast from Falls Church’s Patrick Foster and Ashburn resident Jim Lenahan will take their show to Jammin’ Java’s stage next Wednesday. SEE PRESS PASS, PAGE 14
INDEX Editorial............................................... 6 Letters.......................................... 6, 15 News & Notes............................10–11 Comment ............................... 7,12–13 Calendar ........................................... 14 Business News ................................. 15 Crime Report .................................... 18 Classified Ads ................................... 16 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 17 Critter Corner.................................... 18
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PAGE 2 | MAY 21 - 27, 2020
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PAGE 4 | MAY 21 – 27, 2020
Micro Grants
Continued from Page 1
by a unanimous vote that it was imperative to fund as many qualified Falls Church small businesses as possible as quickly as possible in order to assist them in getting their doors open and their businesses viable so that they will be able to serve the community as they have in the past.” Most of the businesses, designated as “non-essential,” were ordered to have their doors closed when the lockdown against the pandemic was ordered by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce offered its assistance to help get the word out about the EDA’s program. Moreover, at its meeting Monday night, the Falls Church City Council mulled the notion of putting some of the funds it is slated to receive from the federal CARES Act to further assist F.C. small businesses, since those funds are supposed to be limited to specific recovery purposes caused by the pandemic.
LO CA L Alan Frank, executive manager of the Eden Center in Falls Church, billed as the largest center of Vietnamese-American commerce on the U.S. eastern seaboard, said he was surprised that so many businesses, including restaurants, located at the center applied and qualified for the EDA’s micro grant program. “Eden tenants did well,” he told the News-Press, saying that no less than 25 small businesses there qualified for micro grants. “Eden Center appreciates the creative thinking of the City to help small tenants get back on their feet before it is too late.” He added, “Many Eden Center tenants were unable to complete the PPP (federal Payroll Protection Plan), and of those who figured out how to apply, few were approved. The EDA grant is a much needed shot in the arm as businesses prepare to open up.” Young singled out key City staff people for major roles in the program, including City Manager Wyatt Shields, Assistant City Manager Cindy Mester, Communications Director Susan Finarelli, Commissioner of the Revenue Tom Clinton, Daniel Clinton, EDA chief Becky Witsman
and her staff, Val Weiner and Naomi Goodwin, Planning and Economic Director Jim Snyder. He, Witsman and EDA Vice Chair Erik Pelton comprised the program’s committee that authorized the use of additional funds. A total of 106 applications were submitted, with eligibility being location in the City, gross business receipts between $50,000 and $500,000, having 50 or fewer employees and more. The grant recipients are (listed in alphabetical order by legal business name): 10 Pizza, LLC; 1970 Dogwood Street, LLC; 202 Fitness Personal Training; 38NorthStudio LLC; All Travel & Cruises, LLC; American Diamond, Inc.; DBA Washington Diamond; Anh Thao Hair & Beauty Salon; Art and Frame of Falls Church, LLC; Art Connection Oriental Rugs; Audacious Aleworks Brewery & Taproom; AXM LLC DBA Mai Van Hair Salon; Banh Cuon Thang Long Restaurant LLC; BCR Bookbinding; BCSG LLC; Bedo’s Leatherworks; Better Body, LLC; Cajun Boil & Pho Restaurant; Can Tho Restaurant, Inc.; Capstone
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Performance Training; Captain Saigon Seafood; CEC Transfer and Travel LLC; Celiberty LLC DBA Present Nail Spa; Cell Phone Repair; Cha Oc Gia Huy; Code Ninjas; Cue Recording, Ltd.; Dai Kim Corp DBA Kim’s Gifts and Jewelry; Damoa Beauty; DC-VINA; Design Frames, LLC; Diva Nails Spa & Beauty Academy, LLC and Dream Salon; East Coast Heat Wave II, LLC; Eugene Kim Insurance Agency, Inc.; Falls Church Electrolysis, Inc.; Family Hair & Beauty; Fanny’s Restaurant Inc.; Fatouche, Inc.; Firepan Korean BBQ; Fresh & Tasty LLC; Functional Fitness VA; Gold Nile Jewelry; Hands of Light Holistic Spa LLC; Happy Joyous and Free; Healthy By Intention, Inc.; Holly Nail Spa; Hung Anh Barber Hairstylist; Juliet’s Legacy; K.K. Fitness, Inc.; Karma Yoga; Kien Giang Quan; Kim Son Corporation DBA Princess Diamonds; LT Therapy, Inc; Le Billiard LLC; Lice Clinics of America – NOVA, Jacobra LLC; Linh Gems & Jewelry; LV Barber and Manna Sushi INC; Nationwide Viet Services; New To You, Inc.; New World; Ngoc Linh Jewelry; Panjshir; Pho
VA; Phung Hoang, Inc.; Ramen Factory 42; Saigon Bakery & Deli; Saigon Restaurant; Salon 7 Nails Spa 121 LTD; Salon Rovina DBA Kess Hair & Skincare; Snip Snip Barber Shop; Stylish Patina; Suncres Inc.; Tea with Mrs. B, LLC; Thanh Truc Inc DBA Thanh Truc Restaurant; Thanh Van Restaurant Corporation; Thanh’s Video, Inc.; Thien My LLC; Thuy Trang Hair Salon; U.S. Penny & Coin Service Corp.; Va Mango Inc.; Vietnam Community Services and Washington Music Center and Wish Jewelers, Inc. COVID-19 UPDATE In the last week, starting from Thursday, May 14 and going until Wednesday, May 20, the Virginia Department of Health has updated its coronavirus data for the City of Falls Church to include 44 total cases (+5 from last week) as well as nine hospitalized (no change) and five deaths (+1). The Fairfax Health District, which the City is a part of, has 8,254 total cases (+1,499 from last week), including 1,148 hospitalized (+133) and 310 deaths (+41).
Warm Weather Brings Bigger Crowds to a Somewhat Socially Distanced W&OD Trail by Christopher Jones
Falls Church News-Press
As springtime arrives, Falls Church residents are flocking to the City’s portion of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, presenting social distancing challenges along the way. However, City officials, park administrators and trail users appear to be balancing the safety needs of the trail’s pedestrian and vehicle users with opportunities to enjoy outdoor exercise and a break from being pent up during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to NovaParks, the trail’s managing agency, Falls Church normally sees an average of 2,600 trail users per day on the paved two-way trail. With residents longing for outdoor exercise, however, numbers have risen. “We’ve definitely seen an uptick in usage of the trail recently,” said Mark Whaley, park operations superintendent
for NovaParks. In response to the pandemic, Whaley emphasized, NovaParks recently updated its posted “Safety Guidelines,” stressing the need to “Prepare, Be Aware, and Show You Care.” New trail signage encourages trail users to follow CDC guidelines, maintain six feet of social distancing, practice good hygiene, avoid trail use if symptomatic, avoid large groups, and share the trail courteously (e.g., provide audible warning when passing, etc.). However, restrooms, water fountains and parking lots along the trail have been closed. So far, according to Whaley, park authorities have received generally positive feedback from residents about safety precautions, though reactions vary. “We’re hearing a lot of feedback from people who want the parks to be open again…,” said Whaley, however, some “wish other people would social distance more,” wear masks, ride
their bikes safely and stay further away. From his own trail observations, where he often jogs wearing a protective mask, Whaley claims to have seen trail users working cooperatively to insure safety and enjoyment. “I’ve seen pretty good trail behavior,” he said, commenting how people have shown some decent strides at social distancing, while adding that there have been no unusual police incidents. Falls Church Chief of Police Mary Gavin also commended City residents for safe trail behaviors, noting how City police have issued no citations there to date. The department’s approach to social distancing complaints is to “Engage, Inform, and Encourage” residents about Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s coronavirus orders, rather than just issue tickets. “We recognize that everyone
FALLS CHURCH RESIDENT Alex Hou and his son, Max, are regulars along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in the City. To Hou, how strictly social distancing is followed on the trail depends on how nice the weather is. (Photo: Christopher Jones) is under tremendous stress during these unusual times,” she said. “We hope to continue to do our part to bring our community together, by staying apart.”
Jan Feuchtner, owner of Bikenetic in the city and a frequent user of the W&OD trail,
Continued on Page 19
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
LO CA L
MAY 21 – 27, 2020 | PAGE 5
Combination of Federal & Local Support Could Last Up to 3 Months Continued from Page 1
estimated $1.36 million in cuts in the current fiscal year (which runs through the end of June) of $5.6 million, a 5.4 percent cut, in the originally projected budget for the next fiscal year beginning July 1. Some Council members, led by Ross Litkenhous, sparred with City Manager Wyatt Shields over the deployment of the City’s resources, in spite of the precipitous collapse of business and sales tax revenues due to the lockdown of the economy, to fund neighborhood traffic calming and sidewalk and road improvement programs. Shields has recommended holding off on all spending, including $228,000 for these programs, until it becomes clearer just how devastating the effect of the lockdown will be on the City’s budget. While Litkenhous pushed Monday to add that money back in when the Council votes final, if tentative, approval of its FY2021 budget next week (the virtual meeting will be Tuesday, May 26, the day after Memorial Day). But Shields counselled wait-
ing, and it was noted that the projects impacted by the funds, led by improvements at the intersection of Great Falls and Little Falls, are not “shovel ready” right now, anyway, and will not require funding until at least the end of June. Major hits to the budget will come from reduced revenues from sales and use taxes, meals taxes, transit occupancy taxes, business gross receipt taxes, investment revenues and charges for services for recreation and parks activities. Closing the gap caused by these impacts will involve the elimination of salary increases for employees, cuts in all training and travel expenses, freezes in all hiring to fill vacant positions. The plan at present involves no tax rate increases (the current real estate tax rate is $1.355 per $100 of assessed valuation), increases in the storm water and sewer funds and no depletion of the City’s unfunded capital reserves, and no layoffs or wage cuts for City as well as school employees. Shields reported that a bigger tranche of CARES Act money is due the City, of $1,275,277 of the $3.5 billion designated for
Virginia, will be considered for deployment at a later date, given that the funds are required to be spent only to restore programs hurt specifically by the pandemic response. It was suggested some of it could be used to supplement the small business microgrant program run by the City’s Economic Development Authority that will this week be providing $2,000 in funding grants to small businesses in the Little City. Meanwhile, the Council voted to deploy $87,154 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds to the same four groups designated earlier this year, the F.C. Housing Corporation, Homestretch, the Mt. Daniel Family Outreach and the Community Services Council. The Housing Corporation funds will be used to rebuild 15 aging decks and railings at Winter Hill Senior Housing units. Homestretch will use its grants to pay for five household rents for persons transitioning out of homelessness.
FALLS CHURCH DEPUTY CITY MANAGER Cindy Mester explained the status of certain City projects to the Council at its online meeting Monday night. (P����: N���-P����)
Thank you for believing we are Better Together! With your support, we have sold 1900 t-shirts and raised over $32,000 for our community businesses and families. We have purchased gift cards at over 60 local businesses and donated all cards to recipients of the Falls Church Education Foundation Family Assistance Fund, Food for Others, residents identified by the City Housing and Human Services Department and Homestretch. Your generosity has also allowed us to donate meals for the City of Falls Church Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department, and the City of Falls Church Police Department as well as helping to stock the food pantry at Spend Yourself Food Pantry. We couldn’t have done this without your support. Thank you!
Bettertogetherfc.org
PAGE 6 | MAY 21 – 27, 2020
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E D I TO R I A L
The Generosity of Micro Grants
Did you ever think there were so many small businesses in the little City of Falls Church? The 84 who were selected this week by the City’s Economic Development Authority to receive $2,000 micro grants to help them pull through the current unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic crisis are listed in the story on the front page of this edition, and all are viable, functioning small businesses offering a wide array of vital services to this community. It may seem like a small gesture to award grants of a modest size in this day and age, but there is a lot more attached to the dollar amount that comes in the form of community goodwill and encouragement. This said, don’t underestimate how important the cash is, too, for businesses of their size to be able to hang in there against all the pressures of the times. Those who’ve applied for federal help, such as the infamous Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) grants, for example, have suffered the often acute frustrations of the combination of federal and big bank ineptitude and favoritism. It was a good idea to try to alleviate pressures on the nation’s small businesses and their workforces in this way, but was a big mistake for the feds to funnel the emergency relief through private banks who, as we’ve seen, gummed up the works to a very considerable degree by reverting to favoritism for their big customers and leaving an overwhelming number of small businesses in the cold. With the second tranche of federal money, more smaller businesses began to get help, but not without great anxiety and delays that tended to defeat the purpose and, to the point of the purported purpose of the program, unemployment has continued to soar to record Great Depression levels, nonetheless. It’s as our excellent congressman in the 8th District of Virginia, who once served as the president of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, the Hon. Donald S. Beyer Jr., said at the virtual district convention of the Democratic Party of Virginia last weekend. The structural income inequality that has increasingly inflicted our culture is due to “the pernicious primacy of shareholder value” that has skewed our capitalist system, contrasted to the goal of most “to make this world, and this country, better.” Beyer stated, “We live to respond to the extraordinary suffering of our fellow women and men, who are sick, or unemployed, or hungry or homeless, trying to save their business, educate their kids, and not just here, but around the world, from refugee camps to those who live in the most awful authoritarian regimes to those whose human rights are violated with impunity.” Yes, most of us live to make this world better, to respond to suffering. The Falls Church micro grant program is exemplary of such a response, and we should be grateful to live in a generous community such as this.
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Last Week’s Guest Commentary Represents Author’s Character Editor, Thank you for the guest commentary by Dorothy Teipel. It took me back to the trials and tragedies of my generation — from that day in Dallas to Kent State, 9-11, and finally to today. Of course, it is even better because I have known Dori for years. She seems sometimes to work
magic. During a fund-raising effort for children, she introduced me to Pamela Harriman, one of the most interesting and considerate people I have worked with. Dori married my good friend and co-worker, John Finch. They were a hard-working couple in the charity and socialjustice community. John died last year.
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Among the last things he said to me was how Dori was making his last months so happy that he had no time to feel sorry for himself. Dori founded “Women at the Top,” composed of many wellknown women in media, politics and government. Soon, people as different as Dan Rostenkowski, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Pamela were contacting corporate and association CEOs to tell them “It’s time to promote deserving woman and other so-called minorities.” Dori says there’s still work to
be done. Her article let me know that she is still doing more than her share. Ken Feltman Falls Church
South Dakota Is Not The Best Counter To N.Y. Virus Situation Editor, Jeff Walyus’ letter to the editor
Letters Continued on Page 15
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MAY 21 – 27, 2020 | PAGE 7
Memorial Day Embodies All That Is Good & True About F.C. B� M������� C�������
If this were a regular year, Falls Church would be getting ready for the beloved Memorial Day Parade and Festival this coming Monday. Floats would be built. Costumes decorated; Booths readied: Dances practiced; Mini-cars oiled and ready to zoom. The Falls Church Veterans Memorial would be spruced up with new flowers and flags for the Memorial Day Ceremony. We’d be reviewing the insert in the News-Press, planning which booths to visit and where to meet friends to watch the parade. We’d be wondering about the design and color of the Beyer Fun Run t-shirt. Memorial Day doesn’t just happen. It is truly a labor of love — requiring long hours from volunteers, employees, vendors, and performers. It thrives on parent power to get those marching and dancing children to the right place at the right time. Memorial Day in Falls Church embodies all that is good and true about our community. We take time to remember men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice protecting this country, reading the names of those from Falls Church who died while wearing our country’s uniform. The parade is a celebration of the America they fought to protect — one that is welcoming to all, open to all, and respectful of all. From the spirited Bolivian dancers to the soulful Scottish pipers and energetic Tae Kwon Do students, it’s a joyful extrava-
ganza of our city and our country. We cheer for the Tinner Hill Music Festival float, and the bright-eyed Operation Earthwatch students who are learning how to save the world. We show our love for lacrosse players, acrobats, librarians, baseball teams, and safety patrols. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts
“Even if we can’t have the usual Memorial Day party, we’ve still got the love.” and veterans get a rousing welcome, along with the Shriners in their orange cars. The dramatic Lion Dancers from Eden Center and the pounding Batalá drummers make hearts sing. We won’t see any of them this year. Not in 2020, the year of protective face mask and physical distancing. We’ve missed out on so much. We are losing relatives and friends to this disease. Neighbors are sick and unemployed. Those who are going to work risk exposure every day. Some are stir-crazy at home. It is hard to know what the right thing is some days. Even if we can’t have the usual Memorial Day party, we’ve still got the love. Though we’ve been forced to change so
much about our daily lives, there’s still so much that hasn’t changed. Since we have to stay-at-home somewhere, there’s no better place than Falls Church. Ordinary people are doing hard things with persistent grace. The Falls Church Education Foundation Family Assistance Fund has collected more than $110,000, which is going right back into the community to help our neighbors. The inspired BetterTogether t-shirts have raised more than $30,000, to purchase gift cards from local businesses and give them to families and individuals in need of help. The campaign closes on Monday, so look for the ad elsewhere in this paper if you want a shirt. Some are running food and toiletry drives from their front porches or turning Little Free LIbraries into food pantries. Churches are holding drive-through contactfree donation drives. We are participating in a joyous groundswell of Living Local, appreciating that our small businesses have been able to pivot to a new way of doing business. They are part of the fabric of our lives and are generous with their expertise in the community, too. Teachers are bringing learning into living rooms and backyards with admirable poise. Librarians along with Rec & Parks staff are creating entertaining videos and at-home activities. This Monday, Memorial Day isn’t cancelled. It’s just different. Here’s how we can celebrate.
1. Fly the American flag proudly. It is all of ours. 2. Watch the Falls Church Veterans Council Virtual Memorial Day Ceremony that will be shown at 11:00 am on FCC-TV. The keynote speaker will be the Chairman of the Falls Church Veterans Council, Jorome Gibbon. You can also watch on the Youtube channel called City of Falls Church Government. 3. Binge watch the FCC-TV Memorial Day Parade marathon (from the archive) for the rest of the day. 4. Order festival or picnic takeout from one of our local restaurants. 5. Request a Beyer Auto 2020 Memorial Day Un Fun Run t-shirt, and wear it all day #3kunfunrun 6. Make sure you wear a mask when you go out. This won’t last forever. When Falls Church, along with the rest of Northern Virginia, enters Phase 1 and begins to reopen, we will be ready to work together to figure out what life looks like in Phases 2 and 3. It will involve things that feel uncomfortable at first, and eventually become part of everyday life. We will be wearing masks, staying apart and closer to home. We will always, always be looking out for one another. Marybeth Connelly is Vice-Mayor of Falls Church and Falls Church City Public Schools Community Outreach Director
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
It’s the Right Call, But No F.C. Memorial Day Parade Stings by Katherine Liverman
Falls Church News-Press
If you have lived in the City of Falls Church through at least one May over the past 39 years, you know that the largest celebration in the City is its Memorial Day parade. Unfortunately, the 39th celebration will have to wait until next year as this year’s parade has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Each year, around 75 different groups participate in the parade. The application process begins in January; involving an array of collaboration between residents, police, public works and participants. Behind the scenes of the Little City’s big event are the Parks and Recreation staff — reserving stages, sending hundreds of information packets and letters, marking streets for participants and observers, and more. At the helm of this ship is Scarlett Williams, special events program supervisor of Falls Church Parks and Recreation. Williams has attended the parade her entire life. Her deepest grievance with the cancellation of this year’s parade is with the loss of a chance to engage with the community in such a joyful celebration of our veterans. “This event brings out every City of Falls Church resident, old and new. Adults that grew up here and have moved away bring their children back just for the day,” Williams said. “When you’re sitting by the stage at Park Avenue and Little Falls Street waiting and all of a sudden hear the first siren from the Falls Church Police and Volunteer Fire Department, you know it’s on its way!” Fortunately, all participants were very understanding of the cancellation, and Williams received only positive feedback. Ironically, she sent out the information that the parade was being called off on April 1, and Vice Mayor Marybeth Connally responded “If it was any other year, I’d know right away that this was an April Fools Day prank!” One special individual who was on the receiving end of William’s memo was Lindy Hockenberry — this year’s elected Grand Marshal. The parade’s grand marshal is usually announced in late March, about two weeks after the country began gradually shutting down due to the pandemic, so the votes for the position had mostly been tallied. Hockenberry is a fixture in the City. She arrived in 1969 to teach in the Falls Church City Schools. She
retired in 2000, and then went on to be elected to City Council and also served as a member on the planning commission from 2008 – 2019. A self-identified “people-person,” Hockenberry’s love for the City and its residents shines through when you speak to her. She was honored to be chosen as grand marshal, but has faith that the cancellation was the right decision. “I think we’re doing a fantastic job within our City, our school board, and our City Council — they are just on top of things, and are working cooperatively together.” A regular attendee of all the council’s virtual meetings, Hockenberry said “Our council has been making such good decisions.” A highly extroverted person, the pains of not being able to be out in the City for the parade are heartbreaking for her. “I love to laugh, and I just love people, all I want in my life are wonderful hugs,” but she feels her duty right now is to keep herself and others healthy. Hockenberry is making the best of her quarantine at home; watching families out for walks, kids riding their bikes and lots — repeat — lots of dog walkers. To support the City, she orders take out and tips much heavier than usual, and encourages people to do what they can to keep local businesses open. “The City of Falls Church is one of the most important places in my life,” Hockenberry said. “I think Memorial Day is one of the most all-American days that we have in the City of Falls Church that includes everybody in the community and outside of our own city limits.” Both Hockenberry and Williams are encouraging people to stay positive, and feeling deep gratitude for not only veterans but also Falls Church’s local veterans organizations such as the American Legion Post 130, the VFW Post 9274 and the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council. Where Hockenberry, Williams and many others are moving through their own grief about the cancellation, they’re already looking forward to next year. Those who are interested can view a pre-recording of this year’s Memorial Day Ceremony, as well as clips from past parades and ceremonies throughout the day on FCCTV on Monday starting 11 a.m. FCCTV can also be found on Cox Channel 11, RCN Channel 2, Verizon Channel 35 and YouTube.
TOUGH TO IGNORE the good times that come during the annual Memorial Day Parade in the City of Falls Church, with displays of the colors (top) and their nods to veterans being followed by community organizations and religious groups, such as Falun Dafa, that make the day’s events the unique and eclectic occasion that it perennially is. (Photo: Courtesy Scarlett Williams)
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Fa l l s C h u r c h
NEWS BRIEFS F.C. Announces Plans for Virtual Memorial Day Events The City of Falls Church announced yesterday that government and services will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day, and the usual Memorial Day Parade and Festival will be cancelled, but an array of virtual Memorial Day observances and activities will be held online, including the following: a pre-recorded Memorial Day Ceremony, which will air on Monday, May 25 at 11:00 a.m. on the Falls Church Community Television Channel (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35) and the City’s YouTube channel; replays of past Memorial Day parades throughout the day on the Falls Church Community Television Channel; and, a special Memorial Day edition of the Virtual Community Center — the Recreation and Parks Department’s bi-weekly newsletter — will debut Friday, May 22 with exclusive content including a Q&A with this year’s (and next year’s) Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal, Lindy Hockenberry; a spotlight on the veteran who hosts our Senior Center Military History Forum; and stay-at-home Memorial Day themed activities for all ages. People can sign up for the Virtual Community Center at www.fallschurchva.gov/VCC-subscribe.
Free Covid-19 Testing Open to Public This Weekend The Virginia Department of Health has expanded the efforts of the local health districts to increase the capacity of community Covid-19 testing events. This week, there will be over 25 drive-thru and walk-up testing events coordinated by the Department of Health with a capacity of 14,000 tests. In this area this weekend, there will be testing events on Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Annandale High School, 4700 Medford Dr., Annandale and on Sunday, May 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bailey’s Elementary School, 6111 Knollwood Dr., in Bailey’s Crossroads. These are free of charge and no appointment, insurance, physician referral or identification are required. Only those two years or older can be tested.
F.C. Council Votes to Leave Arlington Pact, Join Fairfax The Falls Church City Council Monday night voted unanimously at its online meeting to shift alliances from Arlington to Fairfax County for joint participation in the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Improvement Program funds effective the end of June 2021. The move, done with the encouragement of Arlington, will permit the City to potentially access the Fairfax Housing Authority’s ability to issue bonds to finance large scale affordable housing projects in the City. Tom Fleetwood, director of Fairfax County’s program, was there to endorse the move and the Council was told that the Falls Church Housing Commision “is very excited by the move.”
Northam Offers New Protections from Evictions, Foreclosures Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam Tuesday announced new resources to protect Virginians from eviction and support individuals who have lost their job or income due to Covid-19. These tools include a new website, “StayHomeVirginia.com” to help Virginians navigate housing programs, services, and resources. It offers guidance on working with landlords, financial institutions, and other organizations to use eviction and foreclosure protections during this health crisis. Resources include relief for private mortgage holders, multifamily complexes, and tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This public health crisis has created unprecedented housing challenges, regardless of whether you rent or own a home,” said Governor Northam in a statement. “Right now, many Virginians are struggling to make next month’s rent or mortgage payments amid a loss in wages due to the pandemic. These resources will help Virginians get the information they need to make decisions, and ensure they have access to a safe, stable, and affordable place to live.” Gov. Northam also signed two bills approved by the General Assembly during the reconvened session on April 22 that included his proposed amendments to provide relief to tenants and mortgage holders.
Beyer Introduces At-Home Testing Incentive Act U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, joined Ohio Republican Anthony Gonzalez Tuesday to introduce the At-Home Testing Prize Competitions Act. It is legislation designed to encourage the development of new Covid-19 testing. The bill would direct the National Institutes of Health, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to quickly launch prize competitions promoting the development of a Covid-19 test that can be safely self-administered in their homes.
MAY 21 - 27, 2020 | PAGE 9
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News-Press
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Community News & Notes Food Drops Offs Comes to St. James This Friday, Saint James Catholic Church (905 Park Ave., Falls Church) will be holding a No Contact Food Drop Off from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Since the onset of the coronavirus, Catholic Charities’ pantries, parish and partner pantries have
experienced dramatic increases in the amount of food needed as the economic toll on families rises. Food needs include non-perishables such as canned fruits and vegetables, boxed or bagged cereal, rice and pasta, pasta sauce, cooking oil, bread, non-refrigerated juice, peanut butter, and canned fish, such as tuna or salmon. The No Contact Friday Food
IT’S OFFICIAL. Mustang Alley, the new road created on the George Mason High School campus as a result of its rebuild, now has its signage installed. (Photo: FCCPS Photo/Seve Padilla)
Drop Offs initiative is an effort by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington to increase food donations during this critical time by offering no contact drive-thru drop offs throughout the region. All food will be distributed through the organization’s St. Lucy Food Project which provides food to the community through three Catholic Charities pantries – Loaves and Fishes in Front Royal, Christ House in Alexandria and the Leesburg Regional Office in Leesburg – as well as some 60 parish, interfaith, community and government pantries within the diocese.
The list of existing sites can be found at ccda.net/give-help/ donate-and-distribute-food.
Fairfax Schools Offer Food Assistance for Families Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) families whose children are eligible for the federal free and reduced-price meal program can receive temporary food assistance from the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS). Families will receive a P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Bank Transfer) for temporary food assistance to cover the cost of meals missed while
schools are closed. Eligible households include those with children who receive free or reduced-price meals (FRM) as well as students enrolled in schools that provide free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision. Children who would receive free or reduced-price meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, if not for the school closure, are eligible under this provision. FCPS has submitted the names of families currently eligible for FRM to the VDSS; currently eligible families do not need to apply
POPULAR F.C. DRY CLEANER owner Yeon Mee Lee is creating colorful face masks at her Spectrum Cleaners location at 450 W. Broad Street. She’s selling them to offset a downturn in her business during the current lockdown, and she’s also donated 100 of them to the City of Falls Church Police Department. (Photo: News-Press)
Send Us Your News & Notes!
The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes, School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged, get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!
Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Conference, held virtually. HOSA is the student organization for future health care professionals. All students who won first through fifth place awards will have the opportunity to participate in the virtual HOSA International Leadership Conference, scheduled for June 24-27. Award winners were: • Emergency Medical Technician: First place — EthanDang Ton and Annie Tran. • Medical Assisting: First place — Lizzie Nguyen; second place, Bich “Annie” Nguyen. • HOSA Bowl: First place — Britney Bui, Paige Fowler, Lizzie Nguyen and Angelette Pham. • Medical Terminology: second place, Nour-Maria Bouzid; fifth place, Angelette Pham.
Justice Students In Finals of ‘Shark Tank’ Competition
LOCAL WEST POINT CADET Jack Felgar (foreground) as well as brother Graham (right), and fellow cadets Cobna Manneh (background) and Ahmad Alshishany, along with Divin Mulisa and Anna Spear (both not pictured) are helping round up donations of food and personal hygiene items for La ColectiVA, such as Maseca, vegetable oil, tampons and pads, rice, black beans, diapers and oats for delivery this Saturday. Those interested in supporting their effort are encouraged to bring some of the items listed to 510 Anne St., Falls Church. (P����: C������� J���� F�����) or fill out additional forms to receive the funds. Families are not required to be current SNAP recipients to qualify for P-EBT benefits. Families that are not currently eligible for free and reduced-price meals can apply for that program by June 11. VDOE and VDSS ultimately approve eligibility and issue the benefit. VDSS is working with the Virginia Department of Education to ensure that families currently receiving SNAP benefits will have funds loaded onto their EBT
cards within the next two weeks. Families who do not receive SNAP benefits will receive an EBT card in the mail in the next 4-6 weeks. Data gathered by the state indicates that the meal sites operated by school districts during extended school closures only serve half as many breakfasts and one-third the number of lunches compared to a typical school day. The P-EBT program will provide critical food assistance to families so that children in the state do not go hungry during the
OUR RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN
Covid-19 crisis. Families are encouraged to visit the Virginia P-EBT site at dss.virginia.gov/benefit/pebt.cgi to learn more. FCPS families can also contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703813-4800.
F.C. Academy Students Win Big at Leadership Conference Students from the Falls Church High School’s Academy won awards at the Virginia HOSA’s 40th anniversary State Leadership
check out our website for our community efforts.
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For the second year in a row, Justice High School students from Becky Van Vranken’s English Learners Level 3 English 11 class were selected as finalists in the Fairfax County Office of Family Services annual “Shark Tank” design competition. Students had been preparing for the event months in advance, creating technology innovations that would engage senior citizens in recreational and lifestyle activities. Student teams interviewed seniors about their interests, researched disabilities and accessibility technology, submitted an initial proposal, designed prototypes, tested their designs on users, wrote and submitted a multi-page project paper, created a marketing video, and even hosted a mock Shark Tank with judges from the community. Their projects will be included in the 2021 competition.
MAY 21 – 27, 2020 | PAGE 11
The finalist teams are: Said Guanca, Narlin Perez, and Keyla Benavides created a Magnifier Box to assist seniors to participate in jewelry making. Estefany Majano, Carlos Hernandez and Hesmy Ramirez created the Cutting EZ Board, to make meal prep safer and accessible. Ottoniel Lopez, Gerberth Diaz and Wilber Hernandez created a Helper Robot to retrieve and deliver items by remote control commands. Yoali Sorto, Nicole Romero, Yesli Aguilar and Kevin Escobar created the Expand-a-Cane, a twoin-one cane and walker device. Ervin Godinez, Cruz Soto and Keiry Flores created the Pooper Scooper Cane, a cane with a grabber to help seniors who walk their dogs.
Food Distribution at F.C. Anglican on Memorial Day The Gaskins Team from Keller Williams Realty is helping work a pop-up food distribution site at The Falls Church Anglican (6565 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church) that will be doing a special, one-time on-site distribution for folks who want to drive or walk up and pick up food on Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) from 9 – 11 a.m. The Gaskins Team estimates that there will be enough food for 800 families. The site is still welcoming donations for the upcoming distribution date on Monday as well as future deliveries, which are done every Saturday to individuals homes. Those who want to receive future deliveries, as well as those who are interested in helping volunteer, can sign up visiting form. jotform.com/200777402901046.
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A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
We talk a lot these days about workers on the “front lines” – health care providers, nursing home aides, first responders, and many others whose jobs do not lend themselves to working remotely. These “front lines” are a lot different than the front-line workers the nation honors this weekend, and on Monday. At least, the Memorial Day honorees could see and hear the enemy they were fighting. Flashes from rifle barrels and gun turrets, the smell of gunpowder and other ammunition, the whistling noise of bullets flying overhead – all created the cacophony of traditional warfare. The enemy today is colorless, odorless, and stealthy – until its victims start having fever and the severe respiratory complications that indicate Covid-19 infection. Social distancing doesn’t lend itself to traditional observances, but flying an American flag (if you have one) on Monday is an appropriate way to remember those who have served, and fallen, in support of our nation. Good news for county trash collection customers: yard waste pickup, which was suspended temporarily in late March, will resume next week. Timing of the suspension of the service was challenging, since the combination of springtime, good weather, and people working from home, generated a lot of yard waste, and Covid-19 precautions reduced the number of available solid waste workers. As noted last week, the purple dumpster for glass recycling was reinstalled at the Mason District Governmental Center. The normal heavy usage appears to have returned, as I hear the “clink, clink, clink” of glass when traversing the parking lot to my office. Using plastic bags for yard waste collection is bad for the environment, and many local jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, are transitioning from plastic to paper bags or reusable solid containers. Surveys show that about 30 percent of Fairfax County residents already use paper bags for yard waste, so the transition has started already. However, for those accustomed to using rolls of plastic bags
when cleaning up the yard, the change may be challenging. Plastic bags are easy to use and store, and hold up well regardless of weather conditions. Paper bags are more costly, don’t seem to hold as much waste and, although manufacturers say they are designed to get wet without falling apart, a good Virginia downpour might prove otherwise. Being good stewards of the environment means making changes to common practices of the past, and that can be difficult. But think of what we already are doing differently – reducing the use of lawn fertilizers, increasing recycling, driving more fuel-efficient vehicles, changing to LED and other non-incandescent lightbulbs. Those changes took time, but are commonplace now. Plastic pollution is a big problem for the natural environment, and not just the number of single-use plastic bags we see caught in trees and along roadways. When yard waste in plastic bags is processed into compost by industrial facilities, small pieces of shredded plastic end up in the organic materials produced, and even the best screening materials won’t remove all the plastic shreds. A constituent suggested that simply cutting open the plastic bags and dumping the contents into the processor would solve the problem, but that would require cutting open tens of millions of plastic bags each year, which is unrealistic. Paper bags used for yard waste shred easily in the composting process, and the shreds are designed to biodegrade rapidly. The yard waste collection season runs from March through December, and the transition from plastic bags to paper also applies to private collection companies operating in the county. During this transition period, use of paper bags for yard waste is encouraged; a Fairfax County ordinance change, including enforcement provisions, may be considered by the Board of Supervisors at a later date. Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Delegate Marcus Simon’s
Richmond Report The Deep State is real. Well, sort of. To the extent you’ve been told there is a vast network of semianonymous appointed business leaders and career government bureaucrats who work together with a chosen few elected officials to make the really important policy decisions while almost no one is looking. Well, here in Virginia, we call those Boards, Authorities, Councils, Commissions, Studies, and sometimes Study Commissions, or Select Committees, or some combination of all of the above. Ok, it’s really not as nefarious as I make it sound. The meetings are all open to the public and subject to Virginia’s Freedom of Information laws and they provide a great forum of public and stakeholder input that we rarely have time for during our regular legislative sessions in January and February. In fact, people ask me all the time how the General Assembly can really make the important policy decisions it needs to make during our very short legislative sessions – 60 day “long” sessions and 45 day “short” ones. The short answer: We don’t. The long answer: A lot of the heavy lifting is done in the off season with the help of these groups made up of subject matter experts, interested and affected parties, legislators, lawyers and advocates. Although these groups don’t have the power to change the law without General Assembly action, when their legislative recommendations are introduced, they carry a lot of weight and given the volume of work we have to do, rarely second guessed too much. That’s why many times when people get down to Richmond to advocate during session, it feels like they are already too late. For the six years I served in the minority party in the House of Delegates, I often felt the same way. Legislators would appear before committees and their entire bill presentation would be “this is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference” and that would be that. We made a lot of important progress during this year’s General Assembly session, but there is much more work to do. For the first time in 24 years, we’ve had both chambers and the Governor’s mansion under Democratic Control. Some of the bills dealing with stickier issues this year were referred to commissions for further study and
refinement. In the past, when a progressive policy agenda item was referred to a commission or “carried over” that was a relatively gentle way of killing the bill. As our new Democratic majorities settle in for the long haul, though, the Speaker of the House has the opportunity to appoint new members to dozens of commissions, boards and councils. This creates opportunities for members who may have been sidelined previously to participate in the legislative process in new and more meaningful ways. I was thrilled last week to learn that I’d been appointed by the Speaker to serve on the Board of Veterans Affairs, the Freedom of Information Advisory Council (FOIA), the Code Commission, and the Housing Commission. The Board of Veterans Affairs works on policies related to veterans’ welfare and services available in the Commonwealth. It meets periodically throughout the year and works closely with the Veterans Affairs Caucus, of which I am also a member. Transparency is the main purview of the FOIA Council. With some exceptions, the presumption is that documents from public officials and meetings of state and local public entities should be made available for review. It’s the exceptions that often cause the most issues. This is when the FOIA Council can step in to resolve disputes through advisory opinions, offering guidelines for interpreting Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. Established as a permanent commission 1946, the Code Commission is one of the oldest commissions around. It’s tasked with supervising the codification of statutes after each legislative session, revising Code titles, identifying obsolete sections, and reconciling the administrative regulations of state agencies into the Virginia Administrative Code. The Commission meets once a month. Meanwhile, the Virginia Housing Commission is tasked with ensuring the availability of affordable housing in Virginia. Through permanent work groups, the Commission makes recommendations and oversees studies related to housing, real property, and community development. The full Commission meets three times per year and the work groups meet more often as needed.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
The High Priest of Death and Sorrow
It is stunning to contemplate. The president of the United States proudly announces that he is ingesting poison on a daily basis. His pet “cure” for the Covid-19 virus is this “hydroxychloroquine” pill that he’s touted for months as his personal solution to the global pandemic that has already cost more than 90,000 American lives. We are witnessing something most extraordinary. In the midst of this horrible pandemic, even as science learns that it is contagious through the air, always considered the worst-case scenario, and the cause of multiple syndromes even in young children, our “leader” refuses to don a preventative mask anywhere, and on top of that, sets the example of preferring a snake oil that scientists FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS have cautioned not only doesn’t stop the virus, but has effects that can cause great health difficulties for millions. We are witnessing a true devil’s mass. The president is acting as a priest of death, anointing the elements that are not bread and wine sanctified, but a crude poison that he’s ingesting on behalf of us all, and we are to bow before him. True, thousands will follow his example literally, just as they did when he prescribed the ingestion of Clorox (or was it Lysol?) just a couple weeks ago. Many among them will get sick, and surely not cured. But the real point is that, on the other hand, the morgues will continue to overflow in America with the dead from this virus. As the president, a small drool of his hydroxy cocktail dripping from the corner of his mouth, raises his arms to present a satanic blessing for his peoples, bathed in his self-induced glory, his nation of fools scurry to the beaches, the bars, the concert venues to spit, cough, sneeze and belch on each other, grow the power of their hidden god, the god of pain, suffering, death and sorrow. It is a scene right out of the worst days of the Bubonic plagues that swept Europe at the end of the Dark Ages. Superstition reigned among the frightened masses who had no way to know the source of the scourge. Many felt that somehow they had themselves to blame, and went around in troupes of self-flagellating penitents seeking mercy for the transgressions they were sure had to be responsible for the horrific plagues of that era. The first few sparks of a different spirit, that of a Renaissance of the methods and power of reason and science, were just beginning to emerge to compete with the abject self-loathing of superstitious masses. The invention of the printing press using moveable type, ripping the tools of psychological tyranny out of the hands of the few and replacing them with exploding discourses of reason, unlocked the power of the human mind among the general populace, turning mewling, frightened people into informed citizens of new republics. Amid fits and starts, the development of the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras prevailed, giants of DaVinci, Eramus, Descartes, Spinoza, Copernicus and Galileo found answers to things like how and why plagues happen, even as they had to contest against overwhelming forces of reaction who sought to brutally enforce ignorance and fearful superstitions to cling to the vestiges of their power. America, my dear readers, occurred as a high point in this new Renaissance and Enlightenment spirit, and if anyone wants to be a “patriot” in this day and age they need to embrace that spirit which has led to a veritable explosion of the benefits of science and invention the last 250 years. By sharp contrast, Donald Trump, the high priest of death and misery who got to where he is by the machinations of foreign powers seeking to tear down America, is ingesting his poison in honor of everything that has been deployed to stop America’s greatness and calls us to bow before his incantations of evil. As in every era past, we the people in this age are called on to choose. Do you choose death or life? Do you choose the false promise, fueled by your stupid anger and rage, of a good life defined by repudiating others not like you? Or do you choose life?
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MAY 21 – 27, 2020 | PAGE 13
Nicholas F. Benton
Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
Six months into her freshman year as Commonwealth’s Attorney, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti is making waves. Though she has hurled herself into her promised criminal justice reform while cementing partnerships with courthouse stakeholders, she has also attracted national attention and conservative brickbats. On March 4, four Arlington Circuit Court judges took the unusual step of challenging her plans for more collaborative “restorative justice” by saddling her office with new paperwork requirements when filing motions to amend or dismiss charges. And she drew fire from her handling of the March 29 shooting at the Arlington Smoke Shop in Green Valley. After three juveniles broke in, an employee asleep in the back rushed out with a gun and wounded one teen, police said. The employee was charged with malicious wounding, reckless handling of a firearm and violation of a protective order, then held without bond. The store owner went on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show claiming self-defense rights, complaining that Dehghani-Tafti would not permit him to post bail. Arlington GOP Chairman Andrew Loposser tweeted that “the Commonwealth’s Attorney should drop the charges immediately and go after the real perpetrators.” Dehghani-Tafti asked for patience while her office processed non-public information. She told me she “presented that additional information to the Circuit Court,
which made the final determination on bond status.” Three weeks later, two alleged burglars were served warrants. Does she pay attention to the political hits? “A certain former mayor of New York called me an `anarchist puppet of a Jewish Nazi,’ she said. “When people go that far, they tend to lose credibility with me.” At a May 13 virtual talk to the Committee of 100, DehghaniTafti outlined the need for building “trust” with police (a difficult work in progress). It’s not easy to move from “retributive justice” (focusing on punishment), to “restorative justice” (focusing on the relationship between offender and victim). Policywise, that translates to stopping requests for cash bail for accused who are not flight risks. “Cash bail doesn’t keep the community safe,” she said. Her team monitors jail population levels to preserve resources. There’s more negotiating in youth drug and mental health cases. She’s hoping to boost participation in jury duty by halting peremptory strikes of juror candidates. Training will now include having prosecutors visit prisons, and her office is practicing “vertical prosecution,” meaning one attorney stays on each case for the duration, to enforce “accountability.” Her office is tackling the “Achilles Heel” of outdated technology, allowing electronic sharing of discovery evidence and no longer requiring defense attorneys to come in person for research. Her transparency efforts include two new Twitter accounts. Dehghani-Tafti personally lobbied in Richmond this year, helping with the new decriminalization of
marijuana. As the first outsider in memory to take over the CA’s office, Dehghani-Tafti encountered some bumps during the handoff. Three of four deputies left. She promoted longtime senior attorney Cari Steele, and distributed a staff questionnaire on what needs work. But predecessor Theo Stamos declined her invitation to meet and compare notes. Stamos told me she received an email from DehghaniTafti and replied saying she was turning the transition over to two deputies. “I never heard from her again.” *** Some takes on how the pandemic hit Arlington real estate. “Homes are fewer days on the market as both buyers and sellers are serious — their current personal situations require it,“ said agent Alyssa Cannon of McEnearney Associates. “With tightening lender requirements and higher credit scores, homes priced right are selling briskly.” “Covid-19 turned the mortgage industry upside down because of issues like payment forbearance, appraisers avoiding contact with homeowners and realtors, and shutdowns of manufacturers in construction,” said Johnathan Thomas, senior loan officer at Citizens One Mortgage. “But it’s been a pleasant surprise to still see many buyers. Citizens One didn’t pull out of the jumbo loan or construction lending market. We just experienced our most productive month.” Alexis Schembri of Total Title says her biggest challenge is “conducting face-to-face closings while social distancing. I enjoy meeting customers in person and helping them through what always ends up one of the happiest times in their lives.”
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR In response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affecting the globe and policies enacted to avoid social gatherings, the News-Press will publish a list of virtual events weekly in lieu of its regular listings. If you have a virtual event you’d like to see listed, please email calendar@fcnp.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Monday weekly.
CITYEVENTS SATURDAY, MAY 23 Falls Church Farmers Market To Go. The Falls Church Farmers Market has converted to a preorder, to-go event. All orders must be placed in advance of Saturday’s market which will be open from 8 a.m. – noon for pre-order pickup only in front of City Hall (300 Park Ave.). A list of participating
vendors and information on preordering can be found at fallschurchva.gov/547/Farmers-MarketTo-Go.
VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, MAY 21 Online Preschool Story Time. Those who are interested can join the Mary Riley Styles Library staff live on the library’s Facebook page for a virtual fun time of stories, songs and rhymes. For ages 0-5. Visit facebook.com/mrspl to join in on the activities. 10:30 – 11 a.m. Middle School Book Club (Virtual). This meeting’s book is “Compass South” by Hope Larson. Book club for grades 6-8. This discussion will be held online. Visit fallschurchva.gov/LibraryAtHome for details. 4 – 5 p.m.
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Weed ID and Management. Meet some of the most common weeds in the local area and learn safe and appropriate techniques to control them in the yard. Online class offered by Extension Master Gardeners. Free. RSVP to attend at mgnv.org/events/ to receive the link to participate.10 – 11:30 a.m.
SATURDAY, MAY 23 Creative Cauldron Community Theater. The Creative Caudron will be hosting a free virtual community theater event that’s open to the public. That could include singing a favorite show tune, sharing a verse of their own poetry or literature, showing off drawing skills and performing a juggling routine. Those who are interested are encouraged to send their submission to Creative Cauldron’s Dropbox fold-
TUESDAY, MAY 26 City Council Meeting (Virtual). Work Sessions are conducted to allow Council Members to discuss upcoming legislation and policy issues; the public is not generally invited to speak. The public is welcome to attend the virtual meeting, which will be held pursuant to and in compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Section 2.2-3708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the Covid-19 declared emergency. Public comment will be accepted via email at cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov and added to the record of the next regular meeting. Visit fallsch-
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 Mystery Book Discussion (Virtual). This meeting’s book is “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” by Agatha Christie. This discussion will be held online. Visit fallschurchva.gov/LibraryAtHome for details. 7 – 8 p.m.
DAILY Lunch Doodles with author Mo Willems. Learners can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day. Participants should grab some paper and pencils, pens or crayons. Daily at 1 p.m. Visit kennedy-center.org/ education/mo-willems to watch. Home Safari Facebook Live. The Cincinnati Zoo is offering a Home Safari each weekday where staffers will highlight one of the animals and include an activity that viewers can do from home. Daily at 3 p.m. To join the live stream, visit facebook.com/cincinnatizoo.
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er or via email. Audience members must RSVP as well. To send a submission or to RSVP, go to creativecauldron.org/communitycauldron.html. 7 – 8 p.m.
urchva.gov/CouncilMeetings to observe the session. 7:30 – 11:30 p.m.
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TO LETTERS EDITOR THE B������� N��� � N���� Northern Virginia Alliance Hosts Beyond Covid-19 Webinar The Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance is hosting Beyond Covid19: NOVA Business Resiliency Webinars, a three-part, 12 session webinar series. The next scheduled event is Keeping My Customers and Finding New Ones in this Climate, which will take place on Thursday, May 21 at 2 p.m. Cadence Education’s David Goldberg, Forrester Research’s Peter Jacques (invited), and Orpheus, Inc.’s Benjamin Portman will address delivering greater value and engagement online, engaging customers digitally, new meeting formats, marketing and social media campaigns, and new channels to market and adapt products and services to reach new audiences. For more info or to register for this free event, go to http://www.novaeda.org/events/.
Body Dynamics Hosting a Virtual Exercise Program for Pregnancy Body Dynamics, Inc. is hosting Exercise During Pregnancy, a virtual event on Friday, May 22 at noon that will be lead by mom-to-be Ashley Ching, ACSM-CPT. The event will review guidelines for exercising during pregnancy, absolute and relative contraindications to exercise, and the benefits of a physiological response to exercise during pregnancy. For more information, or to sign up, visit www.BodyDynamicsInc.com.
Small Business Saturdays Continues in the City Saturday, May 23 is the fourth of five Small Business Saturdays in the City of Falls Church. The Saturdays were designated as such through a proclamation signed by Mayor David Tarter. Residents are encouraged to support small businesses by ordering take-out or delivery, ordering online or grab and go products from local retailers, contributing to GoFundMe pages, signing up for virtual classes and webinars, and connecting with them on social media. For information about current business operations, visit the Live Local page at www.FallsChurchChamber.org or the Live Local Falls Church Facebook Group.
Continued from Page 6
in the May 14 edition of the Falls Church News-Press caught my attention. Mr. Walyus declared that that with the coronavirus, people concerned with actual results rather than partisan politics, should look to South Dakota. When I looked at South Dakota, I discovered that on April 13, it had one of the nation’s largest coronavirus hot spots at the Smithfield Foods pork-processing plant in Sioux Falls with more than 300 falling ill. In response to this, South Dakota’s Governor Noem declared that up to 70 percent of residents in her state may ultimately fall ill with Covid-19, but “The people themselves are primarily responsible for their own safety.” This statement came despite an April 3, letter from the South Dakota State Medical Association warning that the state “may soon face the challenges and hardships currently being seen in New York and other large cities across the country if a shelter in place order is not issued immediately.” By May 16, the number of coronavi-
Original Pancake House Hosting Dine Out The Original Pancake House is hosting Dine Out for the Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church on Thursday, May 28 during which a portion of proceeds will benefit the volunteer run nonprofit that provides assistance to older adults in maintaining an independent and safe lifestyle in their own homes by providing transportation and friendly calls and visits. Orders can be placed online at www.OPHRestaurants.com or by calling 703698-6292. Orders placed by third party delivery services are excluded due to the fees they require. The Original Pancake House is located at 7395 Lee Highway in Falls Church. It is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. 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.
[ TALK TO US ] Send us a letter and let us know what you think. Email: letters@fcnp.com
Fax 703-342-0347 Mail: Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Avenue #310, Falls Church, VA 22046
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Businesses Reopening Safe Practices Webinar Rich Volin of Volin Employment Law and Phil Harper of Wellnest Home & Office Cleaning will present A Clean Return to Work, a free webinar on Tuesday, May 26 at noon. The event will address legal issues employers face as they reopen in a clean and safe fashion and include the CDC’s recently released guidelines along with cleaning and disinfecting considerations and techniques to help employers implement those guidelines and reduce risk. The event is free but attendees are encouraged to purchase take-out or delivery lunch. Registration is required. Go to the events page at www.FallsChurchChamber.org.
rus cases in Sioux Falls had climbed to more than 1,000 people. As of May 16, there 3,887 cases of Covid-19 in South Dakota with 44 recorded deaths. Health care workers in South Dakota are gathering a petition of 30,000 signatures demanding that Noem order people to stay home. Readers may draw their own conclusions. Peter Markham via the Internet
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PAGE 16 | MAY 21 - 27, 2020 AUCTIONS ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
HOME IMPROVEMENT Vinyl Replacement Double Hung Window $249* Installed w/Free Trim Wrap. Call 804-739-8207. Siding, Roofing and More! 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
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE 4-ACRE HOMESITE - spooky woods with tall oaks - two ghostly old barns - paved state road front. Southern Virginia near Danville - Only $33,000 - I’ll finance. (540) 294-3271 ATTN. REALTORS: Advertise your listings regionally or statewide. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions that get results! Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
SERVICES DIVORCE-Uncontested, $395+$86 court cost. WILLS $195.00. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-0126. Se Habla Espanol. BBB Member. https://hiltonoliverattorneyva.com.
Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinances referenced below were given first reading on April 27, 2020. Public hearings are scheduled for Monday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 26, 2020, with second reading and final Council action scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard. (TO20-05) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021: GENERAL FUND; SCHOOL OPERATING FUND; SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND; SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND; CABLE ACCESS FUND; SEWER FUND; AND STORMWATER FUND (TO20-07) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2021 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 2020 The proposed real estate tax rate for the tax year beginning July 1, 2020 is: $1.355 upon each $100.00 of assessed value of real estate in the City of Falls Church.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
FOR SALE
CLASSI F I E DS 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, 2020 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. Public hearings will be held electronically at www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. Unless the Governor’s state of emergency is lifted, public comments will be accepted only electronically at cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov, until the end of the public hearing, or by voicemail at (703) 248-5014 until 3 p.m. on the day of the public hearing. 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 CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD PUBLIC HEARING On Thursday, May 28th, 2020 at 7:00pm, the Historic Architectural Review Board will hold a virtual meeting pursuant to and in compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Section 2.2-3708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the COVID-19 declared emergency. [313 LINCOLN AVE] The request for variance to extend the back of the house and create a side addition to the home. Pending approval from HARB the application is scheduled to be on the Board of Zoning Appeals agenda in June. Public comment will be accepted via email at cgahres@fallschurchva.gov <mailto:cgahres@fallschurchva.gov> until 8:00 p.m. on May 28th. The link to access the virtual meeting will be available at www.fallschurchva.gov/HARB <http://www. fallschurchva.gov/HARB> .
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinance referenced below was given first reading and passed as an emergency ordinance on April 6, 2020. Public hearing, second reading, and final Council action are scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. (TO20-13) ORDINANCE TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF THE FALLS CHURCH CITY GOVERNMENT, IMPLEMENTING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, MODIFYING PUBLIC MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND PUBLIC PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO ADDRESS CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DISASTER The ordinances referenced below were given first reading and passed as emergency ordinances on April 13, 2020. Public hearing, second reading, and final Council action are scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard. (TO20-14) EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE BUSINESS RELIEF DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC TO EXTEND THE DUE DATE OF THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE 2020 REAL ESTATE TAX FROM JUNE 5, 2020 TO JULY 6, 2020 AND TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND PAYMENTS OF MEALS AND TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX (TO20-15) EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO SUSPEND ENFORCEMENT OF ZONING REGULATIONS THAT LIMIT OUTDOOR CONDUCT OF BUSINESS AND PLACEMENT OF TEMPORARY SIGNS IN ORDER TO GRANT TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM CONDITIONS CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Public hearings will be held electronically at www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. Unless the Governor’s state of emergency is lifted, public comments will be accepted only electronically at cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov, until the end of the public hearing, or by voicemail at (703) 248-5014 until 3 p.m. on the day of the public hearing. 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).
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1. Pour forth 5. Piece of protective wear for 57-Down players 11. Vampire ____ 14. NBA coach Steve 15. Performer with a fan 16. Declaration just before a kiss 17. Small-minded children’s song character? 20. “Exodus” author 21. Kosher ____ 22. Small-minded Jodie Foster film? 28. Joan of art 29. Arcing tennis hits 30. “Otello” and “Pagliacci” 33. Texan politico O’Rourke 34. Goat cry 37. Small-minded NPR music event? 40. Tribute of a sort 41. “Sounds like a plan!” 42. In the vicinity of 43. Danny of “White Christmas” 44. “Butt out,” briefly 45. Small-minded leisure activity? 51. Vegas numbers game 52. Of no value 53. Small-minded nursery rhyme character? 61. Org. for Nadal and Federer 62. Annual mystery writer’s award 63. Squealer
STRANGE BREW
64. Suffix with novel or Nobel 65. To wit 66. Shipping route
Down 1. Winter Olympics item 2. Stroke gently 3. Triage sites, briefly 4. Like some humor 5. Katy Perry’s “I Kissed ____” 6. Fix, as laces 7. Bette’s “Divine” nickname 8. “Gangnam Style” rapper 9. Sounds of understanding 10. Fist bump 11. French bathroom fixture 12. “Rumour Has It” singer 13. Spelling of “Beverly Hills, 90210” 18. “However ...” 19. Tarbell and Wells 22. Triglyceride, e.g. 23. Cara of “Fame” 24. Boris Johnson, for one 25. Smart ____ 26. Idle 27. Steakhouse order 28. Mr. of detective fiction 31. He lost to Ike twice 32. “Bye!” 33. Barnes & Noble’s NYSE symbol, aptly 34. Clint’s costar in “The Bridges of Madison County” 35. 1974 bestseller “Zen and the
JOHN DEERING
Sudoku
MAY 21 - 27, 2020 | PAGE 17
___ Motorcycle Maintenance” 36. Simple step 38. Editor’s “Never mind that change” 39. Hunter’s garb, for short 43. Not just think 45. Swim events 46. Butterfingered 47. Band together 48. “The Fisher King” Oscar winner Mercedes 49. Five-time Super Bowl starter John 50. Les : French :: ____ : Italian 51. 1957 war movie title river 54. “At Seventeen” singer Janis 55. Big Apple airport code 56. On the ____ (fleeing) 57. It pays the Bills 58. Sportage maker 59. Place for a stay 60. Squeeze (out) Last Thursday’s Solution S A Y I D O
T I E P I N
S E L A S S E I D E
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Level 1 2 3 4
Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
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5/24/20
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. © 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
PAGE 18 | MAY 21 - 27, 2020
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BACK IN THE DAY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Critter Corner
25 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 11 • May 13, 2010
Falls Church News-Press Vol. V, No. 9 • May 18, 1995 The Horror of Mass Genocide in Rwanda As Seen First Hand
F.C. City Hall Scrambles, Beats Deadline for $2 Million Grant
It was a comfortably warm day under an azure sky as we travelled through the lush, green) country side southeast of Kigali, Rwanda. We stepped out of our vehicle at the gate of a small Catholic Church to the sounds of playfully chirping birds which only added to the serenity of the setting. The fields and sky were alive with the wondrous sights and sounds of life — except there was very little evidence of human life.
The City of Falls Church filed an official proposal for the utiliza tion of $2 million in federal stimu lus dollars this week for purposes of the construction of a “multi modal transportation center” at the intersection of S. Washington St. and Hillwood Ave. But it was hardly easy. After the pressure-cooker environment that existed around the Falls Church City Hall this spring, burdened with an enormous....
was arrested for appearing drunk in public.
C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h
Larceny from Vehicle, 200 blk S Lee St, between May 11 and May 12, unknown suspect(s) took items of value from a parked vehicle.
CRIME REPORT Week of May 11 – 17, 2020 Sex Offense, 200 blk N West St, May 11, 8:30 AM, a male, 23, of Washington, DC, was arrested for sexual battery. Credit Card Fraud, 400 blk N Washington St, May 11, 10:40 AM, a male, 32, of Bronx, NY, was arrested for credit card fraud, possession of a stolen credit card, and possession of a fictitious driver’s license
Drunkenness (DIP), 300 blk Grove Ave, May 12, 5:22 AM, a male, 24, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for appearing drunk in public. Larceny from Vehicle, 400 blk Timber Ln, between May 11 and May 12, unknown suspect(s) took items of value from a parked vehicle. Drunkenness (DIP), 200 blk S Washington St, May 12, 8:41 AM, a femaie, 60, of Falls Church, VA, INSTALLS ON NEW & EXISTING GUTTERS
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Larceny from Vehicle, 500 blk Greenwich St, between May 11 and May 12, unknown suspect(s) took items of value from a parked vehicle. Drug Narcotic Violation, 100 blk Haycock Rd, May 13, 1:00 AM, a male, 19, of Arlington, VA, was issued a citation for possession of marijuana. Auto Theft, 100 blk W George Mason Rd, sometime overnight, between May 12 and May 13, unknown suspect(s) took a parked vehicle. Larceny from Vehicle, 100 blk S Virginia Ave, between May 11 and May 13, unknown suspect(s) took an item of value from a parked vehicle.
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Driving Under the Influence, 300 blk E Annandale Rd, May 15, 12:27 AM, a female, 29, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for driving under the influence. Credit Card Fraud, 2800 blk Flagmaker Dr, May 15, 8:20 AM, an unknown suspect fraudulently used credit card information to make an unauthorized purchase. Larceny - Shoplifting, 800 blk S Washington St, May 17, a male, 36, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for larceny and trespassing. Vist Us at fcnp.com
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ALL KINDS OF USERS are finding their way on to the W&OD trail for their daily exercise, but the trail’s popularity makes it hard to avoid congestion at certain points (Photo: Christoper Jones)
Even With Higher Usage, Civility Remains on Trail Continued from Page 1
said he’s noticed that the route is way busier than normal. He believes, however, that trail behavior has changed recently and “users are definitely trying to avoid close contact with one another, although sometimes shoulder brushes are inevitable when congestion builds at certain points.” Recently, he noticed an apparent change in mentality among its users, where most of them appeared to be wearing masks. “It’s likely caused by the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommendations” to wear protective coverings in public, Feuchtner said. “Combined with the popularity [of] and congestion along the trail.” But Feuchtner also said experienced bike riders on the trail understand the importance of slowing down and calling out when passing. However, “some of the newer users of the trail are still picking up on trail etiquette.” Feuchtner advises bikers to “Just calm down. Slow down. Be kind. Announce your pass — We all have plenty of time right now,” so, as he said,
“take it easy!” Pro Bike FC store owner Nick Clark has also noticed a significant increase in W&OD trail usage recently. With lots more families and kids on the path, he recommends fast bikers looking for high-speed exercise avoid the trail altogether during peak times and take to the roads instead. Leanne Pinski, who frequently walks her dog along the trail, said users have been mostly following safety guidelines. “I use it every day to run my dog and feel as if it’s crowded during the nice days, but not too much. Everyone’s signalling and saying ‘Passing on your left.’ People seem to be following the guidelines posted out here...and are “being responsible as much as possible,” she said. For Falls Church resident Alex Hou, who frequently takes his young son, Max, bicycling on the trail, the social distancing they’ve seen has been okay. However, he said, “On some days people are not doing it as well as on others… more problems occur when it’s a nice weather day, for example.” So, they try to adjust their route depending on how crowded it is.
Another daily jogger on the trail, who chose not to be named, said “I think people are following social distancing guidelines… When you’re about to meet someone on the trail, you can see they try to move further away, so you don’t meet face-to-face.” Falls Church resident Rosaly Kozbelt uses the trail almost every day and describes the social distancing efforts as a “mixed bag. “I feel least pleased by some of the runners without shirts or masks on and they’re breathing very heavily when they pass and they’re sweating quite a lot, and not leaving a whole lot of room,” Kozbalt said. But, I guess they pass fairly quickly, so I just try to hold my breath and let it go.” While she hasn’t seen any conflicts between trail users, she has seen some dirty looks exchanged. For the most part, however, she said people are keeping it pretty civil. “I think we’re all in this together, right?” Kozbalt said. “Everybody’s just trying to clear their head and get a little fresh air, and there are limited places to go, so you just try to be civil and friendly while giving everybody their space.”
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