Falls Church News-Press 5-26-2022

Madame Veep At Meridian V-P Harris In F.C.for E-School Buses

Unveils $500 Million Fed E-School Bus Initiative

by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

Speaking at an event at the City of Falls Church’s new Meridian High School last Friday, Vice President Harris announced the availability of $500 million in funding from the $5 billion Clean School Bus Program that was established by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The announcement was made by the Vice President during an event that included EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and U.S. Congressmen Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly.

Superintendent Statement On Tragedy In Uvalde

While at Meridian High School, the Vice President toured three new electric school Falls Church Superintendent Peter Noonan released the following statement this Tuesday regarding the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary,

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Celebrating Memorial Day In Falls Church

The official program of Monday’s City of Falls Chuch Memorial Day Parade & Festival is includedin this edition with features on theparade Grand Marshal, King & Queen plus festival map, vendor listing, parade lineup and more.

See MeMorial Day GuiDe, PaGeS S1-S16

Uvalde, Texas: The School shooting that took the lives of 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde,

Texas, today is the latest horrifying example of violence in our country. FCCPS condemns this senseless act of violence.

Mustang Boys and Girls

Lacrosse Make It To Finals

It’s been a crucial week for Meridian High School athletics. Both the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams began their playoff runs, with the boys taking down Culpeper 16-4. The girls made easy work of Liberty with a 28-3 victory.

See SPortS, PaGe 11

As a fellow school division, we offer our deepest sympathies to those

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS came to Meridian High School campus in the City of Falls Church last Friday to announce $500 million is being deployed by the Biden administration for funding the acquisition of for electric school buses across the U.S., with three such buses acquired by the high school here is as an illustrative backdrop. (Photo: Gary Mester).

Free Parking Sites for Memorial Day Parade/ Festival

The City of Falls Church has announced there are many parking options for visitors during the Memorial Day Parade and Festival this Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including free parking at the Kaiser Permanente Parking Garage (201 N. Washington St.) and the George Mason Square Garage (103 W. Broad St.), which are open all day. Free parking is also available on many side streets, except those restricted for the parade setup or Fun Run. Please check signs for time limits.

The public is urged to avoid parking in private parking lots and areas with posted “No Parking –Towing Enforced” signs. The private lots are for the customers of businesses only. Many businesses enforce parking restrictions on weekends and holidays and may tow without notice.

Accessible parking will be available on Great Falls St. from Little Falls St. to N. Washington St. City of F.C.’s Operating Schedule For Memorial Day Weekend Set

Saturday, May 28—Open: Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to Noon; includes a celebration of the retirement of Howard Herman, market manager; Open: Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Open: Community Center, 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, May 29—Closed: Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Open: Community Center, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday, May 30—-Closed: City Hall and all City government offices (including the Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer’s Office, and Permits Counter), Closed: Mary Riley Styles Public Library; Closed:

Courts and Court Clerk, Reduced Hours:: Community Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special Event: Memorial Day Parade and Festival, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on City Hall grounds (300 Park Ave.).

F.C. Council Gives Preliminary OK to Allow More Housing

By a 5-2 vote Monday (Mayor Tarter and Councilman Snyder dissenting), the Falls Church City Council gave a preliminary OK to a revision in the City’s zoning code to allow for more affordable residential housing options in the City’s so-called “transitional districts” (designed to buffer residential from commercially-zoned areas). The change will allow for townhouse, apartment and condo options in the zone, previously limited to single family homes.

F.C. Police to Deploy Body Worn Cameras Next Month

In a presentation to the F.C. City Council Monday, Police Chief Mary Gavin, Captain Steve Rau and Officer Cody Nguyen announced that all members on patrol for the F.C. Police Department will be equipped with body worn cameras starting next week. Police here are enthusiastic about the move, they said.

As Chief Gavin said, the move “will build on the good relationships with the community, bringing more transparency and holding our department to the highest professional standards.”

29 Students Sworn in to F.C. Boards & Commissions

The initiative of the Citizens for a Better City (CBC) recruited and interviewed 29 local high school students to serve on City boards and commissions and civic groups who

were sworn in at the Council meeting this Monday. Former Vice Mayor Lindy Hockenberry introduced the students.

The News-Press will publish the complete list of new student members and their photo with the Council in next week’s edition.

Finley Van Steyn Welcomed As Newborn’s Birth Last Week

Shelly and Simon van Steÿn welcomed baby girl Finley into their family last week. Finley is currently living the “#Snoozelife” while big brother Cameron is excitedly planning their new adventures together. This little baby is looking forward to getting out and about in the Little City to meet her new friends.

Beyer Supports Entry of Finland, Sweden to NATO

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, last week joined a bipartisan delegation introducing a House Resolution supporting Finland’s and Sweden’s applications to join NATO. Their resolution expresses the sense of the House that Finland and Sweden would add an immediate boost to the alliance’s defense capabilities, and its sense that Biden Administration officials and NATO representatives should expedite the applications of both countries.

Finland and Sweden, which are historically neutral countries, rapidly shifted their defense policy as the Russian Federation wages a cruel and unnecessary war against its neighbor Ukraine. Rather than deter countries from joining NATO, the Kremlin has done the opposite, driving those into the alliance as a reaction to reckless aggression. Finland and Sweden formally applied to NATO on May 18th.

Harris Visits Meridian H.S.

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buses and received a briefing from manufacturers, educators and students before delivering remarks making the announcement. She noted that school buses are our nation’s largest form of mass transit, with 25 million kids riding one of the nation’s nearly 500,000 school buses each day, nearly all of which are diesel buses that emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases each year. These buses also cause pollution linked to asthma and other health issues that cause students to miss school. But we know that electric and zero-emission school buses eliminate the greenhouse gas and particulate pollution that harm our communities and our planet. That is why, as a Senator, she said that she led the Clean School Bus Act, the first bill to focus exclusively on zero emission school buses. Since taking office, she has made it a point to highlight the importance of transitioning to zero-emission vehicles, emphasizing the benefits of good jobs, cleaner air, and reduced costs. As part of this, she visited an electric school bus manufacturer in High Point, North

Carolina, met with public transit districts working to electrify their fleets in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Charlotte, North Carolina, visited with an electric semi-truck driver in New York City, and more.

With Friday’s announcement, $500 million is now available for school districts and other eligible school bus operators and contractors to begin replacing the nation’s fleet of school buses with clean, American-made, zero-emission buses.

This $500 million is the first round of funding out of the unprecedented $5 billion investment for low and zero-emission school buses over the next five years, and it represents yet another step the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to invest in American manufacturing, protect the health of our communities and tackle the climate crisis.

Attending today’s event were, in addition to U.S. Representatives Don Beyer, who represents Falls Church, and Gerry Connolly, members of the Falls Church City Council and School Board, including Superintendent Peter Noonan and State Del. Marcus Simon.

Dads & Grads

Father’s Day & Graduations are quickly approaching.

Grads: Celebrate your Grad with a photo and caption. (Contact us for more information)

Dads & Grads: Don't forget to Book a Table at your favorite restaurant, or cater your party.

Gifts: Buy your Grad or Dad a gift locally Call: Sue Johnson

F.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan was interviewed following Kamala Harris’ remarks by Sam Mostow, editor in chief of the Meridian High student newspaper, The Lasso. (

Photo: News-Press).

THESE ARE AMONG the Meridian High School students present who listened intently during Kamala Harris’ speech last Friday. (Photo: News-Press).

Noonan Issues Statement on Gun Violence in Texas

who have lost loved ones in Uvalde, Texas, and our support to those who are re-traumatized from past experiences from other, all-too-frequent and horrific, acts of violence.

I want you to know that the safety of our schools, and the children and staff within them, remains our highest priority. While we hope never to

see a day like today again, please be assured that we will continue to assess our processes and procedures to ensure the safest learning and working environment possible. This senseless, devastating loss of life is difficult to process and comprehend. Our children look to adults for support and reassurance. If you or your child need additional support, please reach out to your school coun-

selor. We have also included links below to mental health resources in our community.

Lastly, gun safety is one of many keys to ensuring that acts of violence like this are harder for those who wish to carry them out. If you have weapons at home, please store them properly and lock them up. Health Resources for Families: Call 911 should you need imme-

In Memoriam: Bobby Jones

Bobby Gordon Jones Sr, 83, formerly of McLean, VA died May 17th, at his home in New Bern, NC. He was the loving husband of Marie Jones for 66 years. He was born in Accotink, VA, he was the son of late Lusher and Lucy Jones.

He was a prominent businessman in the McLean, Great Falls, Vienna communities as he owned and operated B&M Exxon Servicenter/Auto Body in Chesterbrook McLean and B&M Automotive in Vienna.

Bobby’s passion was his work and serving all of his customers, priding himself in his quality of work and the

personal relationships he built with them. He considered all of them family.

He enjoyed many hobbies some of which were antique cars, camping, race horses, farming, the beach and offshore fishing.

Surviving in addition to his wife, are two sons and two daughters, Bobby Jones Jr of Summit Point, WV., Casey Jones of New Bern, NC., Debbie Thompson of New Bern, NC., and Joyce Beans of Berryville, VA. as well two brothers and one sister, Douglas Jones of Leesburg, VA., Jerry Jones of Chesapeake Beach, MD.,

Gladys Valliere of Granbury, TX. along with 15 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will occur at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at Community Church of God, 2500 Gallows Rd, Dunn Loring, VA 22027 with a graveside service to follow at National Memorial Park. A visitation for Bobby was held Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at Murphy Funeral Homes of Falls Church.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.murphy-fh.com for the Jones family.

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diate support in a life-threatening situation.

CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 CrisisText: Text HOME to 741741

Mobile Crisis Unit: 703-5735679

Merrifield Center Emergency Services: 703-573-5679

National Hope Line: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

LGBTQ Lifeline: 1-866-4887386 National Suicide Prevention

Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800273-8255)

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357)

Be safe, love each other, and give your kid an extra squeeze tonight or tomorrow when they wake up…I know I will.

and more!

Carly Harvey’s Kiss & Ride

Marcia Ball

Dale and the ZDubs

Rebirth Brass Band

My Lunch With President Biden

Thomas L. Friedman

President Joe Biden invited me for lunch at the White House last Monday. But it was all off the record — so I can’t tell you anything he said.

I can, though, tell you two things — what I ate and how I felt after. I ate a tuna salad sandwich with tomato on whole wheat bread, with a bowl of mixed fruit and a chocolate milkshake for dessert that was so good it should have been against the law.

What I felt afterward was this: For all you knuckleheads on Fox who say that Biden can’t put two sentences together, here’s a news flash: He just put NATO together, Europe together and the whole Western alliance together — stretching from Canada up to Finland and all the way to Japan — to help Ukraine protect its fledgling democracy from Vladimir Putin’s fascist assault.

In doing so, he has enabled Ukraine to inflict significant losses on Russia’s invading army, thanks to a rapid deployment of U.S. and NATO trainers and massive transfers of precision weapons. And not a single U.S. soldier was lost.

It has been the best performance of alliance management and consolidation since another president whom I covered and admired — who also was said to be incapable of putting two sentences together: George H.W. Bush. Bush helped manage the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reunification of Germany, without firing a shot or the loss of a single American life.

Alas, though, I left our lunch with a full stomach but a heavy heart.

Biden didn’t say it in so many words, but he didn’t have to. I could hear it between the lines: He’s worried that while he has reunited the West, he may not be able to reunite America.

It’s clearly his priority, above any Build Back Better provision. And he knows that’s why he was elected — a majority of Americans worried that

the country was coming apart at the seams and that this old war horse called Biden, with his bipartisan instincts, was the best person to knit us back together.

It’s the reason he decided to run in the first place, because he knows that without some basic unity of purpose and willingness to compromise, nothing else is possible.

But with every passing day, every mass shooting, every racist dog whistle, every defundthe-police initiative, every nation-sundering Supreme Court ruling, every speaker run off a campus, every bogus claim of election fraud, I wonder if he can bring us back together. I wonder if it’s too late.

I fear that we’re going to break something very valuable very soon. And once we break it, it will be gone — and we may never be able to get it back.

I am talking about our ability to transfer power peacefully and legitimately, an ability we have demonstrated since our founding. The peaceful, legitimate transfer of power is the keystone of American democracy. Break it, and none of our institutions will work for long, and we will be thrust into political and financial chaos.

We are staring into that abyss right now. Because it is one thing to elect Donald Trump and pro-Trump candidates who want to restrict immigration, ban abortions, slash corporate taxes, pump more oil, curb sex education in schools and liberate citizens from mask mandates in a pandemic. Those are policies where there can be legitimate disagreement, which is the stuff of politics.

But the recent primaries and the investigations around the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol are revealing a movement by Trump and his supporters that is not propelled by any coherent set of policies, but rather by a gigantic lie — that Biden did not freely and fairly win a majority of Electoral College votes and therefore is an illegitimate president.

Thus, their top priority is installing candidates whose primary allegiance is to Trump

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Our Man in Arlington

By Charlie Clark

The two-decade-old saga of what in my neighborhood was called “The Monster House” has a new wrinkle.

The looming, not-familyfriendly structure at 27th and N. Sycamore sts.—whose owners have long struggled to keep the place occupied—on May 9 sold for $1.6 million, per Zillow.

The purchaser is the Fairfaxbased Pathway Homes Inc. The nonprofit plans to convert the awkward three-floor, seven-bedroom house (zoned R-6 in single-family residential) to a home for 15 residents (with professional staff present) for a program for Arlingtonians suffering from mental illness, substance abuse and other disabilities.

There is nervousness within the Williamsburg and East Falls Church civic associations. Members participated May 3 in a “courteous” Zoom Q&A with Pathway officers. County planning official Cedric Southerland had reached out to the associations in late April as he prepared a decision on a special assisted living use permit, which the county board had planned to consider in June before it was postponed.

I stopped by to visit current occupants of 6430 N. 27th St.: four James Madison University alums awaiting the schedule for moving out. The young men, who’ve been paying $4,000 monthly, showed me the downstairs gym and reported some dozen recent visits from realtors. They know the cavernous place “is not suitable for a family.”

I recounted some history of the controversial site. The lot containing a conventional home was purchased in 1998 for $159,000 by George Washington University Professor Paul Kingery, a specialist in youth violence prevention. He stunned neighbors by constructing in 2001—without an architect— a non-descript pale-blue box that dwarfed neighboring homes.

Rumors spread that he planned a dorm for troubled youth, on which Kingery remained vague. But he ran into trouble with the Board of Zoning Appeals, which begged him to hire a design firm to improve its appearance. Kingery moved in for a while (I chatted him up), but eventually declared bankruptcy and relocated to Hawaii. In August 2004, N P Investment Co. bought “the Monster House” for $993,600. A year later, it was purchased by Falls Church architect Sam Yoon for only $455,000. He used it to showcase his high-end art (he also gave me a tour).

Yoon improved the home’s appearance, adding attractive brown siding, design motifs and shrubbery, plus a stone driveway for several cars.

But when Yoon wanted out, even the luxury-specialist realtors had trouble (I always thought it should be bought by a rock band).

In 2017 he sold it to Shafik Aasef, who rented it out and this year put it up for sale. When Arlington County announced a proposal for service contractors considering the home, Pathways used donated money to buy it.

The Williamsburg associa-

tion is weighing several concerns, according to a May 6 memo. They include: adequate parking, whether the residents would have private bedrooms to ease therapy, and the lack of yard space, which might mean outdoor gatherings of smokers. But overall, I’m told, neighbors are supportive.

***

Springtime walks on the W&OD trail reveal that trails up the historic site near Madison Manor known as Brandymore Castle no longer seem threatened with erosion caused by joyriding mountain bike recreators. Following damage to the oftenmuddy natural trails at the site (shown on British maps from 1649), county natural resource managers, volunteers at Arlington Trails and members of MidAtlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts have been cooperating on signage and education to protect local plant life.

Appreciation for the marked mound grew this winter after avocational historian Luke Burke published, with the Friends of Brandymore Castle, archaeological evidence suggesting a Civil War connection. “The trench and embankment at Brandymore bear a resemblance to Civil War earthworks, but there is no documentation that positively identifies earthworks at the project site,” cautions Burke. “A battery on the hill could have provided defense against Union forces advancing up the road now known as Roosevelt Street.”

He includes maps that list 19thcentury area landowners. Further research could produce signs of a Native American presence.

Benton Accepts F.C.’s Pride Proclamation

Our founder, owner, editor-in-chief (and chief Falls Church City Council correspondent) Nicholas F. Benton was honored to be asked by Falls Church Mayor David Tarter to accept the mayor’s signed proclamation issued this week that “the month of June 2022 is proclaimed as Pride Month in the City of Falls Church.” The statement, as read by Council member Marybeth Connelly and on behalf of the whole City Council, “urges all residents to respect and honor our diverse community and celebrate and build a culture of inclusiveness and acceptance.”

“The City of Falls Church is proud of the meaningful, long-lasting impacts that LGBTQ+ people have made and the contributions they have brought to the City’s rich and diverse culture,” the proclamation states, adding, “The City of Falls Church remains committed to treating all people with fairness and respect and to creating a community where everyone can live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence or hatred based on gender identity or sexual orientation…(It) recognizes that the inherent dignity and equal and inalienble rights of all people (that are) the foundation of freedom, justice and peace.”

Benton accepted the signed declaration as currently the City’s lone high profile “out” gay activist. Benton was a “gay pioneer” who played a big role in the launching of the modern movement in the early 1970s as he chronicled in his recent books, “Gay Men in the Feminist Revolution: Articles, Pamphlets and Reflections on My Gay Activist Days in San Francisco, 1969-1972” (BCI Books, Falls Church, 2019).

Benton brought his social justice commitment to Falls Church when he moved in the fall of 1985. He founded the News-Press in 1991 and there have now been over 1,600 consecutive weekly editions that have, in the words of Rep. Don Beyer, “served as the glue” to hold together and advance the best interests of the community.

On the LGBTQ+ front here, his newspaper (1) editorially supported the decision by the student board of the local high school’s Lasso newspaper to run an ad, highly controversial at the time, for the pro-LGBTQ+ SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Advocacy League) in 1993, (2) was host to a weekly column by pro-LGBTQ+ activist Wayne Besen for a half dozen years in the early 2000s, (3) sponsored a forum featuring gay pioneers Frank Kameny and Lilli Vincenz at Stacy’s Coffee Shop in 2001, (4) co-sponsored a forum at the historic Falls Church Episcopal in 2019 on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in conjunction with the Falls Church Social Justice Committee of the Tinner Hill Founation, the (5) ran many pro-LGBTQ+ editorials by Benton and, on its website, Benton’s 100-part column series, “Nick Benton’s Gay Science” that subsequently were published in his book, “Extraordinary Hearts, Reclaiming Gay Sensibility’s Central Role in the Progress of Civilization” (Lethe Press, Philadelphia, 2013).

Benton was honored by Equality Virginia as an “OUTstanding Virginian” in 2012 and by the D.C Pride organization as its “Hero of Pride” in 2014.

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Let Schools Out Now

Editor, Each year, FCCPS works to establish a school calendar. And each year, some folks argue for start in late August or after Labor Day. This late start makes little sense in terms of instruction (frankly the most common argument I hear is that people like their late summer discounts on Outer Banks rentals).

As of last Friday, FCCPS is largely done with instruction. SOLs are complete, seniors have next year plans settled, and AP and IB exams are over. Due to high stakes testing, teachers are required to get all of the education they need to impart for the year but the time those tests roll around. But we will still go to school through the third week in June! I understand a week or two to wrap up, have field day, class celebrations, and makeup SOLs. Any more than that, we’re just asking teachers to babysit and watch the clock until we’ve hit the required number of school days.

If we ended the first week of June, we could instead start the school year in mid-August. A mid-August start better aligns with fall high school sports (practice starts first week of August), and with testing schedules. It might not matter to parents of 2nd graders but come junior year you

might be frustrated to know that standardized tests are typically held the same day across the nation — so a kid in Indiana has 3 more weeks of learning under her belt when she and your kid take the AP Calculus exam. Days of school before exams are productive days — days of school in June are... well they’re not worth the money you’ll save in Corolla.

Allison Hyra Falls Church Editor,

Sustainabilty in The Little City

I was very pleased to see the article about FCC’s focus on environmental responsibilities and sustainability. Kate Walker, the Environmental Program Coordinator for the City seems to have covered a lot of territory in her presentation reported last week. I am reminded that we all need to make small changes on a daily basis. There are so many areas of environmental concern and interest among our residents that each one of us could find an issue we are passionate about. Act on your interests; find out what you can do. FCC cares about our community and our environment.

Dianne Skinner Falls Church

Editor’s Essay

Empathy in the Face of Evil, the Universe’s ‘Dark Matter?’

As dark as things appear to be right now in terms of a whole array of situations on this tiny orb, it is vital to affirm the reality that humanity remains in its best situation ever to fix things. As an amazing species, we nonetheless come with no shortage of failures, of cruelties, of miscalculations. But the seemingly overwhelming cascade of atrocities and wilful evils we seem beset with now and who knows what’s going to happen next occurs in the context of an unprecedented ability to know and be aware of them. That’s cause for hope in the long term.

We are able to see and address, if as yet ineffectively, atrocities in our own time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, of seemingly endless mass shootings of innocents in our own culture, of pervasive, long-standing abuses of children by authoritative religious figures, the lastest being by leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, and in general of instances of “man’s inhumanity to man.” All of these instances have, as they say, “come to light.” In the eons past, we can be sure that aspect almost never happened.

Among the plethora of news reports and commentaries that have begun to flood our news feeds in the next months as the James Webb Space Telescope becomes fully operational for the first time, showing us corners of the cosmos heretofore inaccessible to us, a lot of new stuff has already been issuing forth with potentially astonishing consequences. For one, the last century’s discovery of “dark matter”

comprising a massive percentage of the content of the universe has led to the novel, and apparently scientifically valid, proposition that its content is “information.”

I don’t pretend to be an astrophysicist, so my readers should seek them out for more precise descriptions of all this. Wikipedia, for example, begins an entry by trying to explain that “dark matter” is “a hypothetical form of matter thought to account for approximately 85 percent of the matter in the universe. Dark matter is called ‘dark’ because it does not appear to interact with the electromagnetic field, which means it does not absorb, reflect, or emit electromagnetic radiation (like light) and is, therefore, difficult to detect.”

When “dark matter,” whose necessity arises from the observation of galaxies and the fact they are held together and don’t simply fly apart, is described as “information,” it requires

My Lunch With President Biden

and his Big Lie — not to the Constitution. And they are more than hinting that in any close election in 2024 — or even ones that aren’t so close— they would be willing to depart from established constitutional rules and norms and award that election to Trump or other Republican candidates who didn’t actually garner the most votes. They are not whispering this platform. They are running for office on it.

In short, we are seeing a national movement that is telling us publicly and loudly: WE WILL GO THERE.

And that terrifies me because:

I HAVE BEEN THERE.

My formative experience in journalism was watching Lebanese politicians go there in the late 1970s and plunge their frail democracy into protracted civil war. So don’t tell me that it can’t happen here.

Not when people like Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano — an election denier who marched with the Jan. 6 crowd at the Capitol — just

won the GOP primary to run for governor. Have no doubt: These people will never do what Al Gore did in 2000 — submit to a decision of the courts in an extremely close election and recognize his opponent as the legitimate president. And they will never do what principled Republicans running for office or acting as elections officials did after the 2020 election — accept the votes as they were tabulated in their states, accept the court orders that confirmed that there were no significant irregularities and permit Biden to legitimately take power.

It is stomach-turning to watch the number of Trump Republicans running for office affirming his Big Lie, when we know that they know that we know that they know that they do not believe a single word of what they are saying. That’s Dr. Oz and J.D. Vance and so many others. Nevertheless, they are ready to hitch a ride on the Trump train to gain power. And they do it without even blushing.

It reached its nadir, in my view, when House Minority

Leader Kevin McCarthy, so obsessed with becoming speaker of the House at any cost, actually lied about telling the truth.

McCarthy publicly denied the fact that immediately after Jan. 6 he explicitly (and on tape) told his Republican colleagues that he expected Trump to be impeached for inspiring the insurrection and that McCarthy intended to tell him he should resign.

Who in your life have you ever encountered who lied about telling the truth?

And this brings me back to my lunch with Biden. It clearly weighs on him that we have built a global alliance to support Ukraine, to reverse the Russian invasion and to defend core American principles abroad — the right to freedom and selfdetermination of all peoples — while the GOP is abandoning our most cherished principles at home.

That is why so many allied leaders have privately said to Biden, as he and his team have revived the Western alliance

extraordinary capacities for explanation. But since this is all, at this infant stage of our knowledge, as-yet unproven hypotheses, it is fair game to suggest rational alternatives. One such alternative, perhaps mainly semantic, might be that “dark matter” is evidence of a “glue” binding the universe which, in our human experience, might also go by a familiar experiential term we use in our global social environment, the term “empathy.”

One can’t see, touch or feel empathy, so in that sense, it is not part of the known physical universe, emphasis on “known physical,” in the same way that “dark matter” is not. Yet, as intelligent species of this universe, we have all come to know what empathy is, and that it is very real.

I could wax on about empathy, and often do, but in summary permit me to describe it as an invisible tug on and within our

species’ behavior, on our hearts, so to speak, that causes us to do things for others besides ourselves, to share in a common lot, to reach out beyond a mere selfish self-interest.

In other words, it is a binding element, much as “dark matter” is described to be, which empowers individuals to become “greater than themselves” in the exercise of a more universal good, but usually carried out through individual acts involving specific situations and persons in our experience.

Even rooting for your favorite sports team is a manifestation of this. The fan transfers to him or herself the striving of the athlete and “feels his/her pain” or joy based on a performance. That’s evidence of the substantive reality of empathy.

Evil in our culture are forces designed to blunt or kill that substantial reality, or to skew it away from the natural object of its pursuit, a general good.

from the splintered pieces that Trump left it in, “Thank God — America is back.” And then they add, “But for how long?”

Biden cannot answer that question. Because WE cannot answer that question.

Biden is not blameless in this dilemma, nor is the Democratic Party — particularly its farleft wing. Under pressure to revive the economy, and facing big-ticket demands from the far left, Biden pursued expansive spending for too long. House Democrats also sullied one of Biden’s most important bipartisan achievements — a giant infrastructure bill — by making it hostage to other excessive spending demands. The far left also saddled Biden and every Democratic candidate with radical notions like “defund the police” — an insane mantra that would have most harmed the Black and Hispanic base of the Democratic Party had it been implemented.

To defeat Trumpism we need only, say, 10 percent of Republicans to abandon their party and join with a center-left

Biden, which is what he was elected to be and still is at heart. But we may not be able to get even 1 percent of Republicans to shift if far-left Democrats are seen as defining the party’s future.

And that is why I left my lunch with the president with a full stomach but a heavy heart.

By Thomas L. Friedman © 2022 The New York Times

A Penny for Your Thoughts News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

This week’s column is written through anger and tears – a lot of both. Pedestrian-vehicle conflicts rarely end up favorably for the pedestrian, and the past weekend was especially horrendous for pedestrians in Mason District. Worse still, both accidents were avoidable, if only the drivers had been paying attention to their driving.

Friday, May 20, 2022 was a perfect spring day for a walk-through of maintenance issues in the Annandale revitalization area. About a dozen county staff, contractors, and resident volunteers had gathered in a small parking lot near Maple Place and Annandale Road, the starting point for examination of signage, plantings, sidewalks, and curbs that are maintained by a contractor engaged by Fairfax County. Revitalization districts generally have streetscape improvements — plantings, street furniture, trees, specialized streetlights -— that activate the “downtown” area and make it more attractive for shopping and socialization. The session was intended to review plans for this year’s contractor work, but it ended, almost before it began, with police and ambulances responding to frantic 911 calls. A car had gone off the road, entered the parking lot, and struck four people, like a ball hitting the pins at the end of a bowling lane. Injuries ranged from a broken arm, to a broken hip and femur, and life-threatening multiple injuries.

Two county employees, a contractor, and a wellknown Annandale resident were rushed to INOVA Fairfax Hospital where their conditions are in various stages of diagnosis and treatment. Unknown is the effect of the incident on the people who weren’t physically injured, but saw the entire accident happen without warning. Police investigation revealed that the driver went off the road and into the parking lot after she spilled a drink in her car, which caused her to take her eyes off the road, jump the curb and change the lives of multiple people, including her own, in an instant. Far better to let the drink leak all over the seat than to cause such a horrible accident. Charges are pending for the driver; recoveries will be pending for the victims for a very long time.

Week of May 16 — 22, 2022

Shoplifting, W Broad St, May 16, 12:05 PM, two unknown suspects took items of value from a business. Suspect one described as a a tall male wearing dark clothing and a covid mask. The second suspect was a shorter male wearing light clothing and a covid mask.

Larceny from Vehicle, Poplar

Sunday night, another avoidable accident occurred in the Lincolnia area, when an SUV exiting from I-395 onto westbound Little River Turnpike hit a young woman in the crosswalk at Oasis Drive, and then left the scene. Her injuries also are life-threatening, as the impact threw her at least 50 feet. Sometime later, the driver did return to the scene and was arrested for felony hit-and-run. Both instances remind us that the simple act of going to or from work (the young woman was on her way home from her job at a nearby restaurant) may mean that you don’t get home at the end of the day. Driving is both a privilege and a responsibility. The average personal vehicle weighs between 2000 and 6000 pounds, essentially a tank to anyone on foot or bicycle, that can maim and kill in an instant. As we head into the heavily traveled Memorial Day weekend, which also kicks off summer activities, please remember the heavy (literally) responsibility we have as drivers. Better to take a little extra time and patience during travels than end up as another sad statistic.

Back in March, I wrote about a wonderful woman, Roxanne Roch-Rigo, who beat breast cancer into remission, only to have the disease return with a vengeance as leukemia. Blood transfusions are part of the treatment and Roxanne organized an INOVA blood drive at Glory Days at Barcroft Plaza that would help her, and other leukemia patients. Dozens of friends and neighbors came out to donate blood on a brisk Sunday, and Roxanne was her usual positive, delightful self, greeting and hugging everyone, celebrating life. If sheer grit and a positive outlook could beat cancer, Roxanne would do it. Alas, her fight ended on May 8, and another celebration of life was held last weekend, with only Roxanne’s infectious smile and memories of a valiant woman to console her family and many friends. I’m sure she would want to remind everyone to continue to donate lifesaving blood through INOVA.

 Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Dr, between 8 PM, May 17 and 7:15 AM, May 18, unknown suspect took items of value from an unsecured vehicle.

Stolen Auto, E Broad St, May 19, between 5:09 and 5:48 PM, unknown suspect entered an unsecured locker, removed a set of car keys, and drove off in the victim’s car. Suspect described as a male wearing a dark blue/ black shirt and shorts and sporting a large backpack.

Larceny from Vehicle/ Destruction of Property, E Broad St, May 20, between 8:30 AM and 4:20 PM, unknown suspect(s) damaged a vehicle and took items of value.

Tampering with Auto/ Destruction of Property, E Broad St, May 20, between 8:30 AM and 4:20 PM, unknown suspect(s) damaged a vehicle.

Larceny from Vehicle, Fulton

Ave, between 9 PM, May 20 and 8:30 AM, May 21, unknown suspect(s) removed a license plate from a vehicle.

Shoplifting, W Broad St, May 21, 6:30 PM, unknown suspect removed items of value without payment. Suspect described as an older male approximately 50 years of age wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans, and a face mask.

Larceny from Vehicle/

Destruction of Property, E Broad St, May 21, between 3:33 and 8:10 PM, unknown suspect(s) damaged a vehicle and took items of value.

Fraud/Stolen Property, W Broad St, May 21, 1 PM, unknown suspect(s) took items of value.

Drunk in Public, N Washington St, May 22, 8:30 PM, a white male, 51, of Alexandria, VA, was arrested for Drunk in Public.

Monday, May 30, 2022 Falls Church, Virginia

Memorial Day Parade Program 2022

Inside This Program:

Page S-2 Letter from the Mayor

Page S-3 Veterans Ceremony Information

Page S-4 Parade Grand Marshal

Page S-5 Memorial Day Schedule

Page S-9 Keynote Speaker

Page S-10 Reflections on Memorial Day

Page S-11 Parade King & Queen

Page S-12 Memorial Day Vendor List

Page S-13 Parade & Festival Map

Page S-16 Official 2022 Parade Lineup

Letter From City of Falls Church Mayor

Welcome to the City of Falls Church’s annual Memorial Day Parade and Festivities! We are pleased that you’ve chosen to spend this special day in The Little City. As we gather together this Memorial Day, it’s important to remind ourselves the purpose of this holiday. Memorial Day is a day of celebration, but not in the traditional sense of that word. Today we celebrate the servicemen and servicewomen who have given their lives in service of their country. We pay tribute to these American heroes, as well as their families and friends whose lives are forever changed, and we choose to celebrate their legacy by honoring their commitment and sacrifices for our freedoms. I hope you’ll join me for the Memorial Day Ceremony at 11:00 a.m. outside of the Community Center to celebrate our veterans and recognize those who continue to serve in our armed forces. Captain Shaw H. Cohe, SC, US Navy (RET), will be our keynote speaker for the ceremony. At 2:00 p.m., join us for the annual Memorial Day parade along Park Avenue. Our Grand Marshal is Chet De Long, who is a long time City resident and dedicated many years of service to Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Falls Church, along with the rest of our nation, will continue to gather together on this special day each year to pay homage to the dedicated men and women who sacrificed their lives on behalf of our country. I encourage you to make this day an annual reminder that the good we can do in our communities and the world is because of the legacy given to us by those who gave their lives in service.

The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area. Offices are at 105 N. Virginia Ave.., #310, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2022Benton Communications Inc.

Master of Ceremonies

Harry Shovlin, American Legion Post 130

Posting of Colors

Color Guard from American Legion Post 130

National Anthem

City of Falls Church Concert Band Under the direction of Robert Little Vocals by Sgt. Major Robert Petillo (Retired), US Army Band

Invocation

Rev. Burl Salmon, Rector, The Falls Church

Welcoming

David Tarter, City of Falls Church Mayor

Remembrance of the POW/MIAs

Bob Smith, Vice Chair Greater Falls Church Veterans Council

Remarks

Jorome Gibbon Chairman, Greater Falls Church Veterans Council

Presentations & Announcements

Harry Shovlin, American Legion Post 130

Keynote Address

Captain Shaw H. Cohe, SC, US Navy (RET)

Monday, May 30th at 11:00am

Presentation of Wreath in Memory of Departed Veterans

Sue Martin Stewart, Falls Church Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

Escorted by Richard L. Anton, American Legion Post 130 and Howard Chatham, LCDR, USN (Retired)

Hymn to the Fallen

City of Falls Church Concert Band under the direction of Robert Little

Reading of Names

Harry Shovlin, American Legion Post 130

Prayer for the Departed Veterans

Rev. Burl Salmon, Rector, The Falls Church

Taps

Master Gunnery Sgt. John Abbracciamento, U.S. Marine Corps Band

Retiring of Colors

Color Guard from the American Legion Post 130

God Bless America

City of Falls Church Concert Band Under the direction of Robert Little Vocals by Sgt. Major Robert Petillo (Retired), US Army Band

call (703) 248-5027 (TTY 711).Memorial Day Ceremony

De Long Honored As Grand Marshall For Years of Library Service

by Amanda Snead Falls Church News-Press

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board selected Chet De Long to serve as Grand Marshall of the City’s 40th annual Memorial Day Parade. DeLong has been a resident of Falls Church City since 1961 and provided extensive support for the Mary Riley Styles Public Library over the years.

“Chet’s service to the library has made him a beloved figure in our community,” said the nomination submission. “Library staff all light up when Chet walks through the door. He is such a kind and lovely person, and his service to the library has been so long term, and so dedicated.”

De Long has served on the library’s Board of Trustees for over two decades. One of his biggest accomplishments includes spearheading the efforts to pass a library bond referendum, which helped to provide the finances needed for the renovation and expansion project for the library that began two years ago.

Additionally, he has volunteered at the library for over 26

years for up to 300 hours a year. This work includes intake, supporting CD and DVD sales and more.

“I retired from the Feds in 1993 and in April of 1994 I had some free time and was in the library often,” said De Long. “The then director asked me to volunteer so I started then and soon an opening became available on the Board when someone moved away and I filled that position in that October and liked it so I renewed… and renewed and renewed and renewed.”

He also championed the idea to create the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization, in 2004 where he also served as the Financial Officer and fundraiser. The Foundation works to add more materials to the library’s collections, maintain the local history online database, provide prizes for summer reading and much more. Their mission statement is “to enhance library materials, services, programs and equipment” and “increase our endowment, which will provide a future guaranteed stream of

income for the library.”

“We started to talk about having some kind of outside organization to support the library. One of our members was a lawyer and after we talked about it long enough he took it into his hands and set it up as a volunteer organization and started it by making a nice donation to open the doors,” shared De Long.

In 2005, the Foundation began taking in money and has been going ever since. De Long sent letters to citizens about the organization and helped organize other fundraising events. Over the years, De Long stepped back a bit as his eyesight deteriorated but he has always stayed involved in some way, helping where he can.

In 2020, the library created the Chet De Long Award for Outstanding Service which “recognizes a library staff member or volunteer who has shown the qualities of dedication and public service that exemplify the civic life of Chet De Long.” Two awardees have been named so far, Eric Albrect and Claudia Gutierrez.

In 2010, De Long and other

members of the library began making plans for a complete remodel, talking to Council members, speaking about the issue in local newspapers, hosting roundtable discussions and more to gather the support they needed.

“We got to a point where the planning commission approved a design after much public discussion and the Council went along with it so we got started,” said

De Long. “We hired a contractor. After several setbacks, we landed on a design. Dan Ze was a great help in getting the support we needed.”

Chet will be fourth in the parade line up. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. on Monday.

If you’d like to support the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation, you can find more information online at mrsplfoundation.org.

CHET DE LONG (center) alongside Eric Albrect and Claudia Gutierrez, recipients of the De Long Award for Outstanding Service (Courtesy Photo).

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HONOR FLIGHT SAN ANTONIO visited the F.C. Hilton this past weekend for a three day trip of the Nation’s Capital. This was the group’s first outing since Covid and the first time brewing company Anheuser-Busch created custom beer cans for an Honor Flight. Mr. Gibbons (in blue, with his son on his left) celebrated his 98th birthday with the company of fellow veterans. After dinner, veterans read mail sent to them from all across the country as part of the customary “mail call” and birthday cake was served along with coffee and tea. (Photos: News-Press)

Drs. Christopher & Favagehi

Falls Church Periodontics & Dental Implant Surgery

What is a periodontist and when should you see a periodontist?

A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal diseases and in the surgical placement of dental implants. Periodontists go to school for a minimum of 11 years after high school: 4 years of college + 4 years of dental school + 3 years of specialty training. To qualify for the heavily science based curricula, many periodontal residency programs require additional science based education and research as part of a Master of Science or PhD degree. Patients are typically referred by their dentists to see periodontists for treatment of problems due to periodontal diseases (for regeneration of bone around teeth), receding gums (gum grafts), missing teeth (implants), or for surgical procedures that allow for proper tooth restoration or issues related to orthodontics. Periodontics is a surgical specialty with non-surgical and minimally invasive components.

Do I need a referral to see a periodontist?

Periodontists encourage a team-work approach for your dental care and most patients are referred by their dentists. However, a referral is not required to see a periodontist.

About our practice

Our practice was established in Falls Church city over 20 years ago by Drs. Christopher and Favagehi. Over the years, we have renovated and modernized our practice 3 times, and purchased the Falls Church periodontal practices of Dr. John J. Armstrong, and Dr. Charles M. Deutsch. We have been voted as the “BEST” or “TOP” Periodontists in surveys of local dental colleagues conducted by the Washingtonian, Northern Virginia Magazine, Virginia Living and also patient surveys by Angie’s List. Dr. Christopher and Favagehi have been involved in dental education as part time faculty at VCU and University of Maryland. Both doctors have been invited to make presentations at many regional, national and international conferences including many annual meetings of the American Academy of Periodontology. Both Dr. Christopher and Favagehi have received certification in periodontology and implant surgery by the American Board of Periodontology.

Dr. Lourdes Ann Christopher

Dr. Christopher is board certified in periodontology and implant surgery by the American Board of Periodontology. Originally from Chicago, Dr. Christopher received her undergraduate and dental education at Wellesley College and University of IllinoisChicago. She received her Periodontics specialty training and MS degree at Ohio State University. Her research involved PCR (DNA finger printing) of bacteria and dental inflammation around implants. Her professional experiences include serving in the US Public Health Service as a commissioned officer and teaching at 4 different dental schools. She's regarded as a gum graft guru by many periodontists and has presented her work at many dental conferences including 4 of the last 10 annual meetings of the American Academy of Periodontology.

Dr. Mehrdad Favagehi

Like his partner, and wife, Dr. Christopher, Dr. Favagehi is also board certified in periodontology and implant surgery by the American Board of Periodontology. Dr. Favagehi grew up in Iran, Switzerland and California. He received his BS in Biology at George Mason University and DDS from the Medical College of Virginia (VCU Dental School) in 1994. He completed his periodontics specialty training and earned an MS degree in Oral Biology at Ohio State University. He has been a faculty member at VCU school of Dentistry since 1998 and has received a Teaching and Mentorship award from the American Academy of Periodontology. He is a director of the Osseointegration Foundation and Editor-in-Chief of the Academy of Osseointegration newsletter. The osseointegration foundation is a philanthropic arm of the Academy of Osseointegration, the world’s premier dental implant organization. 313 Park Avenue, Suite 103, Falls Church, VA 22046 (703) 237-3700 • www.DrPerio.com

Memorial Day is About Ensuring Sacrifice is ‘Properly Memorialized’

by Alex Russell Falls Church News-Press

The 40th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival, which will be set up on the grounds near City Hall and the Community Center (300 Park Ave, Falls Church), will feature a Ceremony at Veterans Plaza hosted by the Falls Church Veterans Council, beginning at 11 a.m. The keynote speaker this year is Captain Shaw H. Cohe, S.C., U.S. Navy (RET).

When asked what Memorial Day meant to him on a personal level, he acknowledged how it is “a very ‘American’ holiday.”

“On the one hand, it is a very solemn day where we memorialize those who perished while serving in the Armed Forces… The day usually starts with ceremonies to honor the fallen,” with the ceremonial “presidential wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery,” as well as other observances on a smaller scale, such as the ones organized by “the Veterans Council

and our city government sponsor here in Falls Church.”

“The rest of the day, the community celebrates with parades, fun runs, barbecues and other activities to bring our families and communities together.”

It is this mixture of honoring and remembering those no longer with us and of celebrating and enjoying “the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness that our fallen military members sacrificed their lives to preserve” that makes for a holiday that is unique to American life and culture.

“At 3 p.m., since the presidential proclamation in the mid1990s, we…cease our festivities to again have a moment of silence to honor those Armed Service members who made the ultimate sacrifice to make the good life possible.”

Captain Cohe’s family has been a long-time member of the Falls Church community since 1987. Both his sons attended Falls Church City public schools and are active duty officers serving in the U.S. Army.

“I am a longtime resident of Falls Church and a huge fan of the Memorial Day Festivities in the Little City. Harry Shovlin, Bob Smith and the rest of the Veterans Council, along with local supporting veterans organizations, do a great job with the Memorial Ceremony.”

There are a number of veterans organizations in the area, including the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council, VFW Post 9274, and American Legion Post 130, who work to support fellow veterans in their community and who come out to experience and participate in the City’s Memorial Day events.

On events specific to the City, Cohe shared his fondness for the Don Beyer Volvo Fun Run, saying that it is “another great and unique part of the celebration.” On how he became this year’s keynote speaker, Cohe explained that he was asked to fulfill the role by Harry Shovlin.

“Harry retired as a longtime teacher and coach in the FCPS system and has been a great leader in the Falls Church

veteran community and many other worthy civic endeavors over many years.” He has presided over the veterans ceremony numerous times as its master of ceremonies during past Memorial Day celebrations.

Cohe admits he was “surprised to receive the invitation. My initial response to Harry was that I am not a war hero, senior public official, running for office or otherwise looking to expand my public presence.” In other words, Cohe found himself asking Shovlin, “‘are you sure about this?’”

But Shovlin assuaged his doubts, clarifying that “they were looking for someone who lived in the city for many years and also had a long military career.”

“For those who know Harry,” Cohe quipped, “when he asks you to volunteer, resistance is pointless! All kidding aside, I am both honored and humbled to be the keynote speaker for this event and will do my best to rise to the occasion.”

As for the speech itself, he plans to “briefly talk about

the history and meaning of Memorial Day, and a few personal experiences and observations.”

“One point I hope to make is that Memorial Day is a federal holiday for mourning the military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and not just those who lost their lives in actual combat. The military is an inherently dangerous profession. Particularly today, when all who serve are volunteers, their sacrifice should also be properly memorialized.”

Captain Cohe, S.C., U.S. Navy (RET), served for over 30 years. During his naval service, he received numerous individual decorations, unit awards, and campaign and service medals. He has been a volunteer assistant wrestling coach at Meridian High School (formerly George Mason) since 1997, when his now-adult sons joined the team. Currently, he is a parttime Professor of Contract Management at the Defense Acquisition University at Fort Belvoir.

Drs. Love & Miller, PC Melanie R. Love, DDS, Mark A. Miller, DDS FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Drs. Love and Miller provide a family practice with special emphasis on healthy and beautiful smiles for adults and children. We have created a warm, caring environment that allows our patients to feel comfortable and safe. We take time to listen to our patients so that we can truly understand their individual needs and goals for their dental health.

Both doctors graduated from the Medical College of Virginia and have been practicing together in Falls Church for over 25 years. We are proud to have served the community in ways beyond dental care.

New patients are warmly welcomed in our practice. Dr. Love and Dr. Miller along with our amazing staff are grateful for the trust and support shown by the Falls Church community.

We are appreciative of our patients’ continued con dence in our ability to maintain proper safety measures, allowing us to care for their dental health.

Honoring the Past, Looking Forward to the Future

BY ALEX RUSSELL FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The City of Falls Church is once again set to commemorate Memorial Day.

The 40th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival, beginning in the grounds near F.C. City Hall at 300 Park Avenue, will feature a Fun Run, a special ceremony in Veterans Plaza, a variety of food and crafts vendors, live music, and the annual parade, bringing together locals and those outside the City.

For the Little City, Memorial Day is a singular time where a multitude of organizations and businesses come out to show support for their community and to pay respect to those who gave their life in the service of their country.

The parade comes at the beginning of summer, with warmer weather, brighter skies and a greater sense of commotion, as nature appears to “wake up” after an erratic winter.

Those who have participated in the festival in previous years (and who will be coming back this year) are clear in their conviction to honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces, but some, like David Crance, cannot help but look ahead, too.

Crance, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9274 Chaplain of two years and member since 2009 and Falls Church Kiwanis Little League (FCKLL) Tee Ball and Fall Coordinator, under-

Crance views Falls Church as “one of the last towns this side of the beltway…with [a strong] sense of community.”

“This is a town…where you can see the Mayor on the street.” He also reflected how partisan politics end in the City “when you’re on the street. We’re really lucky here with that stuff.”

In terms of the way the City commemorates the holiday, Crance expressed noth-

often cited as core values stemming especially from the generation of Americans who, like Crance’s grandfather, fought in World War II. “[It was] the defining event of their lives and their generation,” reflects Crance.

Besides honoring those no longer with us and helping his community’s youth understand the importance of Memorial Day, Crance sees the annual event, where a large variety of business-

future?”

“Everybody can do something small…coach a soccer team, volunteer at the library. An hour here or two hours there” can, to Crance, really help “make the future better.” And he cannot stress the value of all this within the context of a community like Falls Church.

“People forget,” he explains, how a local function or volunteerrun group can dissolve “quickly… due to the lack of people putting in

brance, and one eye on tomorrow, knowing full well that today’s kids and youth have the potential to keep the community moving forward.

To learn more about VFW Post 9274, visit vfwpost9274.org. For more information about American Legion Post 130, visit post130. org. To learn more about the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council, go online at gfcvcouncil.homestead.com.

Hicks and Burke Set to Reign as King and Queen of Parade

BY AMANDA SNEAD FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Hunter Hicks and Natalie Burke are both seniors at Meridian High School and will be a part of the first graduating class of the school since its name change and the opening of the new campus. Both received the Spirit of Meridian Award and will be honored in this year’s Memorial Day as the King and Queen. The Falls Church NewsPress sat down with the students to discuss their time at Meridian, their future plans and more.

News-Press : How did you end up with the King and Queen titles?

Natalie Burke: “I received the Spirit of Meridian Scholarship award and received a call informing me of that and learned that a perk of that would be becoming the Memorial Day Queen.”

Hunter Hicks : “It’s the same for me. Our career counselor met with me and let me know I had won the award and that I might be able to get involved at the Memorial Day parade. The next day I got an email that said ‘congratulations on being King.’”

N-P: What are some of your favorite memories from Memorial Day celebrations in Falls Church in the past?

Hicks: “I’ve lived here my entire life and I don’t think I’ve ever been around for a Memorial Day parade so this will be my first. While I haven’t ever been to a Memorial Day Parade, I can remember always being jealous for missing it when reading about it in the Falls Church News-Press. ”

Burke: “I moved here four years ago so I haven’t been to any parades yet, it’ll be my first time as well. I’m excited that I

get to be involved in the parade for my first time going to the event

N-P: What are your plans for the parade this year?

Burke: “We’re going to be riding in a car throughout the parade and then we get to sit with the members of the City Council during the rest of the parade procession. That’s all the information I’ve received so far but I’m excited to see what the rest of the day will be like.”

N-P: What has your experience at Meridian been like? Do you have a favorite memory from your time?

Hicks: “I’ve loved my time [at Meridian], I’ve had a lot of fun. I feel like I can just completely be myself here and if I’m getting judged I don’t care. I think my favorite memory was prom a couple of weeks ago when I was thrown up in the air and crowd surfed for the first time.”

Burke: “I’ve also had a really great experience. I thought that transition from the old school to the new school was really interesting in terms of being able to have such a great new facility. I’ve really enjoyed being able to have lunch with my friends on the patios and just bonding with them overall in all of my classes. I think this year, in senior year specifically, it was nice to see the grade merge together. I think with Covid and having school online for two years it was pretty difficult to have that social interaction. This year everyone has been in the same place and you could really see the difference and I’ve really enjoyed that. I’ve also enjoyed being a part of sports teams. In particular, the senior night for my volleyball season has been the moment– really look around I’m interested in and seeing whether it’s good or bad.”

Candles Made By A 6th Grader!

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Dominion Beer & Wine Offers Variety of Food and Drinks

If it’s been a while since you’ve stopped by Dominion Wine & Beer right off West Broad Street, get ready for a surprise. It’s a lot more than “wine and beer.”

The restaurant’s got a swanky black and white, “feels-like” Las Vegas lounge area upstairs and a beer garden out back where full-service menus of delectable food choices ranging from charcuterie and cheese to Atlantic salmon ($24) are available with 16 wines by the glass and 24 rotating beers on tap.

A few Sundays ago some friends and I enjoyed brunch in the beer garden where we were cooled by a slightly blowing wind and soothed by the visuals of beautiful rhododendrons nearby which matched the mood and the food.

Arash Tafakor is one of Dominion’s owners (with his brother and mom) who said tents for the beer garden went up after Covid-19’s 2020 shutdown and they worked so well, the

owners decided to keep them. My friends and I were happy to be there, outdoors under a tent on a lovely spring afternoon.

We took our chances finding a table since Dominion takes no reservations. Tafakor explained that the restaurant wants to save room for the local community and “make sure our core customers can come in and find a seat for a beer or a glass of wine with a good entree. It probably costs us money,” but the good will Dominion builds is worth it and sure enough, we had no trouble finding a table.

Mary ordered the steak and blue salad ($16) which she pronounced “very delicious” with cherry tomatoes, bacon bits, peppers, greens, croutons and red onions with a blue cheese dressing and Piedmontese steak. She likes her meat cooked medium rare, and that’s the way it came out: “It’s very tasty and I highly recommend it,” she said between bites.

My friend Carl can be a bit of a bore when it comes to trying something different. (Sorry,

Carl: Just stating the obvious.) He ordered his standard cheeseburger ($16) and after he offered, Mary and I helped him with the fries. It didn’t take much coaxing to get us to try them, and besides, by eating Carl’s pommes frites, we could claim we didn’t order them which were, naturally, every bit as good as fries are. (Instead of the potatoes, he could have chosen a salad for the same price which would have left Mary and me fries free!)

Anyway, Carl loved his cheeseburger which came with two patties, pickles, cheddar cheese, red onions and a house sauce on a brioche bun.

Since my first choice of “Canadian bacon benedict” ($12) was sold out, I opted for the “granola toast” ($8 plus $2 for poached egg) which was lots better than the name implies with many layers of complexity (?) and more ingredients than I expected: cotija cheese guacamole, arugula, red onions (which I discarded since who knew what lay ahead that afternoon?), all topped with a

caper vinaigrette to make an unbeatable combination. It was not too filling and appealed to me to order daily, but, alas, brunch items are only available Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. — 2 p.m., so there went my planned dinners for a week.

We also ordered a magnificent “shareable plate,” the

“exotic mushroom arancini” ($8 or $6 at Happy Hour) which tied with my granola toast for the best choices of the day. (Since I get to write, I get to judge.)

The mushrooms were filled with delectable risotto breaded in panko, Parmesan, herbs,

Continued on Page S-15

THE EXOTIC MUSHROOM ARANCINI is one of Dominion Beer & Wine’s sharable plates for the table to enjoy as an appetizer. The mushrooms are filled with risotto and topped with bread crumbs and more. (P����: P������� L�����).

Enjoy Outdoor Dining at Dominion Beer & Wine in F.C.

Continued from Page

S-14

smoked paprika and served with truffle aioli. Their presentation and taste were much better than we anticipated. The mushrooms were soft and moist and although only four in number, they lasted long enough to satisfy us before our entrees arrived and before our innards became loaded.

Since the calorie count for the benedict far exceeded “granola toast,” I was happy the benedict was all gone, but not so much the mimosas.

They are rather standard fare for me at brunch, but the special mango and guava mimosas were sold out that day at Dominion (and the preceding day, a waitress confirmed later), so I had to settle for a “classic.” (Each, $7.)

We had arrived about 1 p.m., so if you’re craving one of the special drinks or that Canadian bacon, better get there before then.

Tafakor was full of praise for the Falls Church community and city government.

“When it comes to supporting small businesses and getting

to know local business owners, Falls Church is great” which is not always the case in some localities, he said. “Falls Church is special when it comes to that.” Generous tips supplied by customers during Covid when the shop sold curbside helped to keep his staff. “The neighborhood’s been supporting us,” he said.

He explained that customers frequenting Little City retailers on weekdays show how well the shops are doing all week, not just on weekends. “There’s a steady stream of business on those days.”

Tafakor said the most popular appetizers are the dragon shrimp ($12) and charcuterie platters (prices vary), while top entrees are the Piedmontese ribeye which is sliced to share ($38 for 16 ounces of meat and fries), the salmon, ribeye steak and cheese ($16), and a spicy chicken sandwich ($15).

The nightingale ice cream sandwich ($8) is the favored dessert.

Dominion’s Happy Hour specials (Monday — Friday, 4 — 6 p.m.) include a 20 percent discount on glasses of wine and beer, and discounts on some food, too, like two selections from the charcute-

“Mean Ole Tom” beer from Maine. I ordered a new bathing suit this spring, and if it weren’t for all these great Falls Church eatins’, I might not have to push, pull and stretch it

Dominion Wine & Beer, 107 Rowell Ct. Falls Church, VA 22046 (703) 533-3030. www.dominionwineandbeer.com Order in, out (curbside pickup), or onsite.

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ArtsFairfax Receives $55,000

Grant from the NEA

ArtsFairfax has been awarded a $55,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support the expansion of artist residencies in Fairfax County.

Linda Sullivan, ArtsFairfax President & CEO, expressed her gratitude to the NEA “for this funding to support arts engagement in underserved areas of the County.” NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, stated that her organization “is proud to support arts and cultural organizations throughout the nation with these grants, including ArtsFairfax, providing opportunities for all of us to live artful lives.”

With the support of the NEA, ArtsFairfax will expand its artist residencies to more civic entities throughout the County, including a Fairfax County Public Elementary School, a Public Library, a Fairfax County Park, an affordable housing development, and a community center.

MEH Middle School Choir and Band Receive High Marks

The Mary Ellen Henderson choir and band participated in a music festival near Hersheypark, Pennsylvania a few weeks ago on May 6. Each group performed three pieces for the judges before spending a rainy, but fun, day at the amusement park.

The band received 1st place

with excellent ratings from the judges and outstanding section awards for the low brass and horns.

The choir also received 1st place with superior ratings and the overall choir award, given to the group with the highest overall score. The judges’ feedback was positive and will help the groups continue to grow their musical skills and talents.

National Pollinators Month

Arrives in June

National Pollinators Month began as National Pollinators Week in 2007, as declared by the U.S. Senate. Later, celebrations were expanded to encapsulate the whole month. Pollinators Month encourages people to protect pollinators by providing them with the right environment for plant pollination, as well as avoiding the use of pesticides. By protecting pollinators, people can ensure the steady production of a wide variety of food resources.

As part of National Pollinators Month, Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria (4603 Green Spring Rd, Alexandria) will be offering the family-friendly Meet the Beekeeper program on Saturday, June 4, at 10 a.m. This one-hour program is appropriate for all ages 7 and up; $10 per person. Beekeeper Tatiana Lisle will teach attendees how beekeepers safely steward and interact with bees, as well as summarize the tools of the beekeeper trade.

Tysons-Pimmit Library Quarterly Book Sale

Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, located at 7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, will be hosting a three day book sale for a variety of ages and interests. The sale will run on the following days: Friday, June 3, Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5, between the hours of 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.

Sunday will include a special bag sale where attendees will be able to walk away with a full grocery sack of books for just $10; if less than a full bag, the items will go for half-price.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library and related activities. Donations of books and media items appreciated; volunteers welcome and needed. With questions, email tysonslibraryfriends@gmail. com or call 703-338-3307.

FCPA Celebrates National Trails Day June 4

National Trails Day is celebrated each year on the first Saturday in June, creating an opportunity for community members to improve their physical health, mood, and make new friends at any of the 108 outdoor trails in Fairfax County.

Walking on trails has many physical and mental health benefits, such as building stronger muscles and bones, improving balance, improving heart health, and decreasing the risk of certain respiratory issues. Mental

health benefits include: improved mood, reduced stress, lower risk of depression and anxiety, and improved sensory perception.

This year, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is celebrating Trails Day in several ways: hikes at numerous locations; events at several sites; and a new topic page filled with information about the trail system in Fairfax County. Visit fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/topics/trails-day for more information on nearby trails in Falls Church City and Fairfax County.

Schedule of Upcoming Book Discussions at MRSPL

Mary Riley Styles Public Library will host the following book discussions at their library

now through October: “Orwell’s Roses” (nonfiction) by Rebecca Solnit, Wednesday, June 8; “Tortilla Flat” (fiction) by John Steinbeck, Wednesday, July 13; “Deacon King Kong’’ (fiction) by James McBride, Wednesday, Aug. 3; “Jayber Crow” (fiction) by Wendel Berry, Wednesday, Sept. 14; and “The Reading List” (fiction) by Sara Nisha Adams, Wednesday, Oct. 12. All discussions begin at 7 p.m. in the library’s Upper Level Conference Room. MRSPL is located at 120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church. For more information, call 703-248-5030 or you visit the website at fallschurchva.gov/library. For details on all events and registration, visit mrspl.librarycalendar.com.

PRESENT FOR THE APPEARANCE in Falls Church of Vice President Kamala Harris last Friday were the following local dignitaries (left to right): F.C. Councilman Phil Duncan, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, Mayor David Tarter, Council member Caroline Lieu, State Del. Marcus Simon, Council members Letty Hardi and Marybeth Connelly, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer and Councilman David Snyder. (P����: G��� M�����).

FALLS CHURCH CALENDAR

SUNDAY, MAY 29

Vietnam Society Presents: An Afternoon of Jazz. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 12 p.m. 703-255-1566.

“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Rd, Vienna). 8 p.m. 703-255-1900.

THEATER & ARTS

123 ANDRÉS ARE BACK. Andrés and Christina, the Latin Grammywinning music duo 123 Andrés, return to Mary Riley Styles Public Library this coming Saturday, May 28, for an 11 a.m. show featuring their lively, catchy songs in both English and Spanish — perfect for the entire family. (Photo courtesy Mary Riley Styles Public Library..)

LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAY, MAY 26

Black + White Exhibit (Ends June 26). Featuring art done in black and white, this F.C. Arts exhibit includes paintings, collages, and sculpture.

F.C. Arts Gallery (700-B W. Broad St, Falls Church). 11 a.m. — 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 27

Jurassic Encounter: Dinosaur Experience (Until May 30). With more than 50 life-like dinosaurs, the Walk-Thru Exhibit is located at the Bull Run Events Center (7700 Bull Run Dr, Centreville, VA). 10 a.m. — 7 p.m. For information, visit feeltheroar.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 28

Falls Church Farmers Market. The Farmers Market features fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more. Covid guidelines observed. (300 Park Ave, Falls Church). 8 a.m. — 12 p.m.

Cherry Hill Open House Tours. Free tours at Cherry Hill historic farmhouse, now through Oct, provided by volunteer docents. Visit cherryhillfallschurch.org for information.

Cherry Hill Farm (312 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA). 10 a.m. — 12 p.m.

123 Andrés. Andrés and Christina, the Latin music duo 123 Andrés, returns to Mary Riley Styles Public Library. (120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church.) 11 a.m. — 12 p.m.

SUNDAY, MAY 29

NOVA Central Farm Markets. This year-round market features meat,

FCNP Featured event

Memorial Day

Monday, May 30th

THURSDAY, MAY 26

produce, dairy, baked goods, and markets.com for more information. (543 Beulah Road, Vienna, VA 22180.) 9 a.m. — 1 p.m.

MONDAY, MAY 30

40th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival. A community tradition that includes a special ceremony hosted by the Veterans Council, various vendors, live music, and the Memorial Day parade, with Grand Marshal De Long. (Park Ave and Little Falls St.) 9 a.m. — 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 31

Tuesday Morning Book Club. This month’s book is “Redhead by the Side of the Road” by Anne Tyler. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church). 10:30 — 11:30 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC

FRIDAY, MAY 27

The Coozies. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (130 N Washington St, Falls Church). 5:30 p.m. 703-532-9283.

Alex “The Red” Parez. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St, Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-237-8333.

SATURDAY, MAY 28

Ohio Players. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria).

$69.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

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

The Upstairs Department. A story full of trials and tribulations highlighting familial love, the limits of cynicism, and the wonder of the unexplainable. The 90-minute play will follow Luke and his sister on a journey to test out his paranormal talent. Running through Sunday, June 12, with shows on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. Presented by Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington). Visit sigtheatre.org for more information.

FRIDAY, MAY 27

$5 Comedy Night at State Theatre. The State Theatre has brought back its $5 Comedy Night event, featuring some of the best stand-up comedians from the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Attendees must be at least 18 years of age to enter unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. All shows require proof of full Covid vaccination (original card or picture sufficient), or a negative Covid-19 test no older than 72 hours. For more information, visit thestatetheatre.com. 8:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 28

Into the Woods. A witty, magical musical full of drama, humor and eventful surprises. Directed by Helen Hayes Award-winning director Matt Conner. Presented by Creative Cauldron; sponsored by Mark Werblood, Esq., Attorney at Law. “Into the Woods” will run through Sunday, May 29, with shows on Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. Creative Cauldron is located at 410 S Maple Ave, Falls Church. Call 703436-9948 or visit creativecauldron. org for more information.

area to experience a variety of fun events. The day will include a 3K Fun Run, a variety of food and merchandise vendors, live music, kids' entertainment, and the parade. The keynote speaker for the Memorial Day ceremony will be Captain Shaw H. Cohe, SC, US Navy (RET). The 2022 Grand Marshal will be Chet De Long, who will be preside over the day's events. Pictured above is City Mayor David Tarter at last year's celebration. (Photo: News-Press.)

Playoff Season in Full Swing, Both Lacrosse Teams in Regional Finals

by Ryan McCafferty Falls Church News-Press

It’s been a crucial week for Meridian High School athletics as several teams have entered their postseason campaigns, while others conclude their regular season. Both the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams began their playoff runs, with the boys taking down Culpeper 16-4 on Thursday at home and then upsetting Brentsville on the road on Monday by a score of 7-5 to advance to the Regional Finals, where they’ll remain on the road to face Fauquier on Thursday.

Meanwhile the girls, who earned the privilege of homefield advantage throughout the regional playoffs as the #1 seed, made easy work of Liberty on Friday with a 28-3 victory and then defeated Culpeper on Monday, advancing themselves into a date with Kettle Run in the Finals on Wednesday. Both tennis teams also began their playoff endeavors, with the boys, who also locked up the #1 seed in their region, defeating Culpeper and Warren County to advance to the Finals on Tuesday as they host Maggie Walker. Meanwhile the girls defeated

Goochland in their regional quarterfinals and play at James Monroe on Tuesday in the semis, in which, should they win, they would face Maggie Walker on the road on Wednesday.

Still concluding their regular seasons are the soccer and baseball/softball teams, with the boys’ soccer team continuing its undefeated streak as they beat William Monroe 3-2 on Monday the 16th, then walloped Skyline 23-0 the next day, both at home. Their regular season concludes Tuesday, should weather cooperate, and then they will begin their postseason

on Thursday as they host Warren County (who they just defeated 6-3 on Monday). The girls have also ended their season on a strong note as they travelled to Warren County on Monday to win by a resounding 10-0 score, this after coming to a 1-1 stalemate at Skyline last Tuesday. Their regular season finale is also set to occur Tuesday against William Monroe, while their opponent and venue for their playoff opener on Thursday remains to be determined.

The baseball team secured the region’s #2 playoff seed with an

overall record of 16-4, as they completed their season with two home wins, a 3-2 victory over Skyline on Tuesday and then a 6-2 takedown of Warren County on Monday. Their postseason will begin on Thursday as they host Skyline once again. Finally, softball unfortunately was unable to earn any home playoff games, ending its regular season with two home losses to Skyline (1-15 on Tuesday) and Warren County (1-4 on Monday). Their first postseason opponent is yet to be determined, though the game will be on Thursday.

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

by Erika Toman

In the Level AA regular season championship, the Falls Church Sharks defeated the Angry Avalanche by a score of 8-5 on Saturday, May 21. The first time the two teams faced off it was snowing, so it was fitting that the championship game was held on the hottest day of the year to that point.

The Sharks dominated the mound with 16 strikeouts. Logan P. set the tone for the game over the first three innings by giving up just one run, with Lincoln T. pitching in relief. They had tremendous help

from their catchers Owen H., Alex N. and Sawyer W. Defensively, Alex N. had the play of the game by throwing out a runner at first base all the way from right center field. The Sharks’ bats were as hot as the temperature. Henry E. and Lincoln T. were both unstoppable and went three for three at the plate. Charlie Q. was two for two, including a triple. Also notching hits were Logan P., Sawyer W., Alex N. and Faris S.

The Angry Avalanche rallied by scoring three runs in the bottom of the 6th. The crowd went absolutely wild when Vince K.

hit a home run to kick off the late-game rally, followed by four consecutive hits from Calvin H., James L., Preston T., and Dante W. The Angry Avalanche put on a valiant effort, including some very impressive defensive flashes of leather by James L., Dante W., and Brooks R., who robbed an extra base hit on a laser-shot to third base, but ultimately came up just short. The Angry Avalanche also racked up hits from Rayyan P. and Nathan D. Both teams will be back in action this week in the Level AA playoffs as the 1 and 2 seeds.

Falls Church School News & Notes

FCCPS School Board

Office Hours

FCCPS School Board

Chair Laura Downs and ViceChair Tate Gould will be holding “office hours” at Harvey’s Restaurant (513 West Broad) on Wednesday, June 1 from 6:008:00 pm. Parents, students, teachers, staff, and community members may drop by (no registration required) to ask questions and offer feedback in a casual environment. As this will not be a private setting, community members who prefer to have a private exchange with the School Board can locate members’ email addresses at: https://www.fccps. org/page/school-board. This will be the last School Board Office Hours event for the academic year. Office Hours will resume

in September.

College Bound Athletes Recognized

Meridian Athletics Department recognized college-bound student-athletes last week. They celebrated the seniors’ successes as they were recognized for their accomplishments and future athletic careers at the next level.

The Mustang Athletic Department is proud to recognize the below student-athletes. Much gratitude was expressed to the students, their families, teammates, and coaches for their hard work and efforts over the years, allowing this special moment to occur.

Football — Seth Stillwagoner; Shenandoah University Soccer Boys — Noah

Rodriguez; McDaniel College

Field Hockey — Hannah Anacko; University of Mary Washington

Boys Lacrosse — Emmett Wood; Averett University Baseball — Thomas Downs; Case Western Reserve Football — Josh Stillwagoner; Juniata University

Soccer Boys — AJ Smith; Soccer University by Purdue University

Cross Country/Track & Field — Lauren Mellon; US Coast Guard Academy

FCC Public Works

Visits JTP

Jessie Thackrey Preschool students were delighted by a special visit from the Falls Church City Publics Works crew. They

marveled at wheels taller than most of them. And all the students adored the vehicles that surrounded them. They not only got to “Touch-A-Truck,” but they

also got to sit in and maneuver the steering wheel. The trucks in attendance included: a backhoe, a dump truck, and a madvac street sweeper.

PUBLIC NOTICE PLANNING COMMISSION

On June 1, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., the City of Falls Church Planning Commission will hold a virtual public meeting to consider the following item and recommendation to City Council:

(TR22-17): RESOLUTION TO GRANT A SPECIAL EXCEPTION SITE PLAN (SEC. 48- 488.B(3)) FOR A MIXED-USE BUILDING WITH A BUILDING HEIGHT UP TO FIFTEEN (15) STORIES ON APPROXIMATELY 0.76 ACRES OF LAND FOR THE PROPOSED SENIOR HOUSING BUILDING OF THE WEST FALLS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, LOCATED AT 7124 LEESBURG PIKE (PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY CODE NUMBER 51-221-010) ON APPLICATION BY TC MIDATLANTIC DEVELOPMENT V, INC.

The application materials for the above items may be viewed on the City’s website: http:// www.fallschurchva.gov/WFC

The public hearing will be held electronically. Meeting agenda and materials will be available on the following page prior to the public meeting: www.fallschurchva.gov/PC. Public comments will be accepted electronically only until the end of the public hearing. Please submit comments to plan@fallschurchva. gov. All participating members of Planning Commission will be present at this meeting through electronic means; and all members of the public are welcome to view the meeting at www.fallschurchva.gov/PC and on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). 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 703-248-5040 (TTY 711).

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

DOGS, PETS or LIVESTOCK

Use Happy Jack® Kennel Dip as an area spray to control lyme disease ticks, fleas, stable flies, & mosquitoes where they breed. At Northwest Ace Hardware Stores. (WWW.Fleabeacon.com)

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RECRUITMENT

HIRING? We can help you fill your open positions! Promote job listings regionally or statewide! Affordable Print and Digital Advertising Solutions reaching potential candidates. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

SERVICES

DIVORCE-Uncontested, $395+$86 court cost. WILLS-$225.00. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-

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

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Falls Church Business News & Notes

Wawa Under Contract for Falls Church Store

Wawa, the Philadelphia-area convenience store chain is under contract to ground-lease the Stratford Motor Lodge site on the corner of Little Falls Road and West Broad Street which closed Fall 2021. The proposal is for approximately 6,000 square foot store without any gas pumps. The project is with the Falls Church planning staff and contingent on the city’s approval. The land’s owner is an affiliate of Bethesda’s Bristol Capital Corp.

NAIFA Launches Foundation for Next Generation of Financial Professionals

The NAIFA Foundation for Financial Security, created by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), announced plans to increase the number of ethical financial services professionals to better serve American households and small businesses. A recent National Financial Capability Study by FINRA found that 66 percent of American adults can’t pass a basic financial literacy quiz, more than 40 percent lack retirement accounts, and less than 50 percent have emergency savings. The charitable arm of the association will initiate programs to bring in new advisors and thus advance financial literacy and financial security among all Americans with an emphasis on traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations.

Local Companies make Fortune 500

ß has released it’s 68th annual Fortune 1000 list, ranking the 1,000 largest United States corporations by total revenue, including public companies and private companies with available information. Thirty-five Virginia-based companies made the list. Twenty-one Virginia companies made the Fortune 500 list with 10 in Fairfax County. Three Falls Church-based companies made the 2022 Fortune 1000 list: General Dynamics Corp. at 94, Northrop Grumman Corp. at 101, and Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE) at 797.

Community Family Fun Night June 2

The Falls Church Chamber is hosting Family Fun Night on Thursday, June 2, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Jefferson Falls Mini-Golf. This is a community event featuring a picnic dinner, moon bounce and face painting in addition to mini golf. Sponsorships are still available, and guests may register at www. fallschurchchamber.org/events/details/family-fun-night.

Northern Virginia Black Chamber Economic Forum

Last week the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce held its first Economic Forum pulling together a panel of representatives from local jurisdictions. While the issues are largely the same, the overriding theme was that working together has supported regional economic-development efforts, and “co-oper-a-tition,” is key, said Telly Tucker of Arlington Economic Development. Panelists cited frustration with the Metrorail system and shortages of housing and workers was a top concern, as is housing costs, which Stephanie Landrum of the Alexandria Economic Development Authority called the “biggest threat in this region.” Peggy Fox of Dominion Energy moderated the panel, which also included David Kelly of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Jason Hawkins of George Mason University and Buddy Rizer of Loudoun County Economic Development.

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

BACK IN THE DAY

Falls Church News-Press

Vol. VI, No. 10 • May 22, 1997

5th Annual Food Drive to Begin At Memorial Day Parade Monday

For the fifth consecutive year, a Falls Church food drive to help hungry and homeless people throughout Northern Virginia, co-sponsored by the News-Press and the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce will be launched at Monday’s Memorial Day Parade festivities here.

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Falls Church News-Press

Vol. XXII, No. 13 • May 24, 2012

Fairfax, Bulova, Synder Exchange Letters as F.C. Sets to Open Water Bid

A rapid exchange of written correspondence between Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova and Falls Church Vice Mayor David Snyder has occurred this week, precipated by Snyder’s dramatic open call before a live TV camera at last week’s City Council meeting.

Critter Corner

NILES THE COMPUTER CAT loves sitting next to either mommy or daddy’s desktop computer in downtown Falls Church. He tries to be of assistance. He is a loving 6 year old tabby cat.

Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

VP Harris, EPA Admin Regan visit Meridian to launch National Clean School Bus Program

By Sam Mostow

and

Eva Williams, The Lasso

Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan visited Meridian on Friday to launch the administration’s $500 million Clean School Bus program.

Harris and Regan were joined by White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), and National Education Association President Rebecca Pringle, who all spoke to about one hundred seated in the Meridian lobby. The crowd included EPA members, local community officials, and environmental activists of a variety of groups. Head of Secondary Schools Valerie Hardy and eighth grader Marisa Soletino also spoke at the event, the latter of whom introduced the vice president.

The Clean School Bus program is an EPA initiative that allows school districts to apply for federal funding to invest in electric school buses, which is a part of a $5 billion plan over the next five years. “[This will be] transformative for the school districts that will be able to use the money that they would have had to spend filling up the buses with gas to instead hire more teachers, to raise salaries or to renovate classrooms — and renovate those classrooms not at this school, but at many schools around the country that are in desperate need of repair,” Harris said.

Before Harris’ remarks, she spoke with Meridian and Henderson students and teachers who take part in sustainability efforts outside the Meridian front entrance, with three electric school buses in the backdrop. Harris even boarded one of the buses and spoke with students sitting on it.

“We have this great opportunity here at this school, and being such an open building, we also have geothermal,” junior Nik Johnson said to Harris. “This huge new advance in technology is a great time to bring electric buses. Being so environmentally conscious is

for the school. I think having

learning opportunity has an environmental impact on students as well. We can teach a new generation on how to use fantastic new tools.”resources.

Environmental science teacher Carey Pollack was outside with Harris and was impressed by the vice president’s curiosity.

“[Harris] was just so engaging,” Pollack said. “She was clearly invested. She had questions for us and she reiterated her thoughts on what we were saying and we were just really impressed with that part of it. She was great with the kids and asked them what she needed to know.”

Before the vice president spoke to the audience within Meridian, Hardy expressed the school system’s commitment to sustainability, noting its Sustainability Academy, which will launch during the 2022-23 school year, and how seventh graders wrote persuasive essays about whether or not the school system should invest in electric school buses.

“This school is a representation of our nation’s path forward,” Hardy said. Afterwards, Harris formally launched the Clean School Bus program. Her remarks centered around the future of electric vehicles and the administration’s efforts to support them.

“The future is not inevitable,” she said. “We have to build it

MHS Musicians Shine on Spring Concert ‘Dance’

The MHS Music Department’s Spring Concert “Dance” had outstanding performances from the Guitar, Jazz, and Wind Ensembles and the Symphonic Band. Original student compositions were featured.

The musicians performed favorites Mambo from West Side Story, Riverdance, Despacito, Green Day and the White Stripes, and more in a highly diverse program.

The event concluded with a massed band of 100 musicians playing Kyiv 2022 with parents, alumni, and teachers. Senior musicians were featured and recognized.

The FCC Band Booster $1500 Scholarship was awarded to senior Kieran Cummings; Sergeant Anderson of the USMC presented the Semper Fidelis Award to seniors Caswell Loo and Will Rambo and the Sousa Award to senior Renee Coppock.

Congratulations, MHS Musicians!

Henderson student Marisa Sotelino introduced VicePresident Harris.

together.” FCCPS received $530,000 from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust to purchase two electric school buses, and a congressional earmark for another one, all of which will arrive before the 2022-23 school year. Falls Church was one of 19 school districts in Virginia to receive this funding and hopes to shift to an entirely electric school bus fleet over the next decade.

“What stood out for me about today’s event was a really awesome focus on sustainable energy and the idea of how we can transition our bus fleet to electric,” FCCPS Superintendent Peter Noonan said. “We’re on the cutting edge of that, and we really are excited to be bringing in three new electric school buses for next year.”

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Meridian with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA). Eva Williams/The Lasso better

that

FCEF Gala: It was great to be ‘Together Again’

Carol Sly/FCEF Photos