June 11 - 17, 2015
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • Vol. XXV N o . 16
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week Tinner Hill Blues Fest All Set for the Weekend Falls Church’s 22nd Annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival kicks off this Friday afternoon and continues into Sunday with a weekend full of blues all over The Little City. See page 5
Rabies Alert for F.C. as Raccoon Tests Positive
‘Past Blasts,’ Newbies & Incumbents Pile Onto F.C. Ballot for November 24-0
Last Minute Rush of Candidates; Baroukh Has Cancer Diagnosis by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Silberberg in Alexandria, and two candidates backed by established Democratic elected officials lost in a 45th District primary race to Mark Levine. Although a former aide to Rep. Barney Frank and openly gay, Levine ran as a Democratic outsider, having finished far behind among the nine candidates who
Officially reappointed by the F.C. Electoral Board for another four year term as Falls Church’s Registrar of Voters, David Bjerke was ready when the clock struck seven Tuesday marking the filing deadline. He had in hand the final official print out of candidates who filed and qualified for the November ballot running for three open slots on the City Council and three on the School Board. All the candidates who filed were certified before that deadline, and by Falls Church standards, the number who filed is staggering So, the line up is set for the election. Running for City Council are Johannah Barry, Philip Duncan, Letty Hardi, Samuel Mabry and P. David Tarter. Running for School Board are Justin Castillo, Erin Gill, Margaret Kajeckas, Mark Kaye, Alison Kutchma, Jacob Radcliff, Philip Reitinger, Kieran Sharpe and Becky Smerdon. Unlike years past in Falls Church, where citizen activist groups held conventions and nominated slates, there is no such thing any more, and with the elections supposed to be non-partisan, it will be a challenge for all the candidates to distinguish themselves to blocks of the electorate. But in general, what will be involved are three groups – incumbents, candidates longer in the tooth (politically speaking) and young citizens diving into the political fray for the first time. The incumbents will be, for the City Council, current Mayor David Tarter and Council member Phil Duncan, and for the School
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The City of Falls Church issued a rabies alert after a raccoon tested positive for rabies after it got into an altercation with two dogs on E. Jefferson Street in the City of Falls Church last week. See News Briefs, page 9
David Brooks: The Mobilization Error
Every serious presidential candidate has to answer a fundamental strategic question: Do I think I can win by expanding my party’s reach, or do I think I can win by mobilizing my party’s base? See page 14
Press Pass with Deanna Bogart
Award-winning blues singer, pianist and saxophonist Deanna Bogart is returning to the region where she started her career to kick off the Tinner Hill Blues Festival this Friday. See page 25
HEADING TO RADFORD for the state championship tournament this weekend, the 2015 George Mason High School boys soccer team has had a terrific, record-breaking season. While amassing an astounding 24-0 record, the boys have won the Bull Run District title, the Conference 35 Championship, the Regional Championship, and broken state records for shut-outs (both team and individual). See Sports, page 27. (Photo: Edward Quill)
Gross Withstands Stiff Primary Challenge; Upsets in Region by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.12-13 Comment........14-17 Business News....18 Calendar.........20-21
Food & Dining.22-23 Sports .................27 Classified Ads .....28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........29 Critter Corner.......30
Facing an aggressive challenge in her bid for a sixth fouryear term representing the Mason District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Penelope “Penny” Gross was up for the fight and carried the winning margin once the polls were closed Tuesday. With 100 percent of pre-
cincts reporting, Gross had 56.16 percent of the vote (3,028) to 43.84 percent for first-time candidate Jessica Swanson. As other Democratic primary results in Northern Virginia showed Tuesday, Gross’ win was by no means automatic. Democratic “establishment” candidates went down to newcomers in at least two other cases in the area. Four term Mayor Bill Euille lost to Allison