Falls Church News-Press 6-18-2020 by Falls Church News-Press

June 18 – 24, 2020

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Progressive Reforms For F.C. Police On Horizon Local Protests Motivate Use of Force Changes BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

In the explosive days since May 25 — the Monday when an unarmed George Floyd was killed by a uniformed police officer after he had pinned his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, all of which was caught on video and broadcast on national TV — there have been virtually nonstop protests and demonstrations involving millions all across the U.S. in cities large and small. Following on the three powerful demonstrations in the City of Falls Church, reflecting the mixed demographics of the protests nationwide, in the last week efforts turned to constructive action and sustainable change to address issues of systemic racism and prejudice that are underlying themes for so many manifestations of cruelty in society. They include 1. a proposal for the formation of a F.C. police over-

Continued on Page 5

THE COLORFUL MURAL now adorning Mr. Brown’s Park in the 100 block of W. Broad St. was installed on the side wall of Hot N’ Juicy Crawfish Tuesday to the delight of onlookers. According to the F.C. Economic Development Authority which funded the minipark project, the hot air balloon theme of the mural recalls the F.C. area’s Civil War history when Union forces used such balloons at Upton Hill for reconnaissance. According to EDA chair Bob Young, the mural’s artist, Joseph Craig English, has local roots and his father once worked at Brown’s Hardware. “We appreciate the support and partnership with the property owner, Jeff Jeffrey, and hope that this mural installation will inspire other public art efforts in the Little City in the future,” Young said. (P��: N��-P��)

9.5 Acre ‘West Falls’ Site Plan Submi�ed, Set For Review in July BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Details of the plans for the 9.5 acre mixed use development project to be called “West Falls” and slated to go onto the site of the current George Mason High School were submitted to the Falls Church City Hall last week, and City Manager Wyatt Shields told

the F.C. City Council Monday night that the plan has all the required features discussed in the recent years leading up to this point, and that “the layout is good.” In brief remarks to the NewsPress this week, the City’s Chief Planning and Economic Development czar Jim Snyder was effusive in hailing the sub-

mission, saying that it is “great news” because, in the midst of the current Covid-19 pandemic and economic lockdown, a lot of jurisdictions are experiencing postponements if not cancellations of many development projects. The entire Special Exception Site Plan (SESP) submission is currently posted on the City of Falls Church’s website. Earlier-

established agreements on the development of the land and terms of payment to the City remain in force, with revenues from the projected megaproject expected to cover the cost of the new George Mason High School under construction, and much more. A presentation of the plan will

Continued on Page 18

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SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

SEE STORY, PAGE 4

Looking to anticipate how much of a drop off in enrollment will be in the Falls Church City Public Schools in the fall, superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan appointed a team to conduct a survey in order to estimate what numbers may look like once classes commence August 24.

Mary Johns of Open Kitchen D.C. originally set out to spotlight hole-in-the-wall restaurants run by immigrants and bring some boutique flare to their establishment with special events. Now the partnership is helping keep those businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Northern Virginia’s own “Rockin’ the Suburbs” podcast from Falls Church’s Patrick Foster and Ashburn resident Jim Lenahan will take their show to Jammin’ Java’s stage next Wednesday. SEE PRESS PASS, PAGE 14

INDEX Editorial............................................... 6 Letters.......................................... 6, 19 News & Notes............................10–11 Comment ............................... 7,12–13 Crime Report .................................... 12 Calendar ........................................... 14 Business News ................................. 15 Classified Ads ................................... 16 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 17 Critter Corner.................................... 18

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Immigrant Restaurants’ Pandemic Woes Eased by Unique Partnership

by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

Open Kitchen D.C.’s gathering at Yayla Bistro back in March was just supposed to bring attention to another discrete treat buried within the region’s immigrant-owned restaurant scene, but it became one last gasp of normal life before the coronavirus pandemic hollowed out dining rooms across the nation. Founder Mary Johns scrambled to fill seats at Yayla’s discussion and cooking demonstration that originally had all 32 spots booked nearly a month and a half in advance before the World Health Organization announced Covid-19 as a global threat to public health on March 11. Suddenly, half of her RSVPs vanished, and she turned to social media influencer Andy Tran (@novafoodking on Instagram for the curious) to try and rally interest in an event that the bistro located on N. Westmorland Street in Arlington was also banking on. “When I spoke to Yayla about doing the event, only six people had confirmed they were still interested in the event going through. Yayla made it clear that they would do it for six people. They wanted to do it no matter what,” Johns told the NewsPress in March, explaining how the bistro wasn’t spared from the drop in business all restaurants felt following the WHO’s declaration. An event that appeared to be flailing in mid-air days earlier stuck a surprise landing by the afternoon on March 15. Tran helped recruit younger foodies to fill a large center table and snap pics of falafel and Chef’s Cigars while couples and friends put their concerns on hold for the two hours to enjoy some different cuisine. The three Pasori brothers behind Yayla made sure to entertain the packed house. Business-minded Zaza, the eldest, briefed the attendees on their Turkish background and shared how serious the bistro’s made-from-scratch mentality is when it comes to a few 18-ingredient recipes. And middle brother Mutlu, the self-trained head chef, showed off how they make the eggplant and ground beef “lasagna” in Moussaka, while his

YAYLA BISTRO’S HEAD CHEF Mutlu Pasori (left) shows the crowd how he lays the eggplant in its container, creating the base of the Turkish take on the “Greek lasagna” known as Moussaka during the last Open Kitchen D.C. event on March 15. (Photo: News-Press) assistant Mehmet kept the mood light by seasoning the dish like Salt Bae (trust me, it’s worth the Google search). Stomachs were full, spirits were high and wallets were a bit lighter by the night’s end — just as Johns had planned — but Yayla then had to re-enter an unfortunate reality. State-advised capacity limits for restaurants were implemented to slow the spread of coronavirus that hadn’t begun to be relaxed until the end of May. “All we have to do is take care of our business...and be clean and be ready for it,” Mutlu told the News-Press in March, adding that an in-house delivery service joined its pre-existing agreement with GrubHub. At the time, he remained optimistic that news of the pandemic was only a temporary hindrance to business as usual. But the world is still waiting on “normal” to make its return. Dung Phan, the general manager of all Pho 75 locations throughout the Washington, D.C. area, including one in Falls Church, told the News-Press in April that business had been terrible. A single restaurant typically brought in $50,000 a month. That number plummeted to less than $10,000 as Covid-19 cases and fears began to spike, forcing each establishment to lay off 13

of its usual 16-person staff. Though Phan did say that Pho 75 wasn’t specifically hard hit because it serves Asian cuisine, which national news reports indicated was a problem in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic announcement. Phan mentioned that his neighbors run Italian, Thai and Latino restaurants, and all were experiencing the same pinch as Pho 75. April and May was a brutal stretch for the immigrant-owned restaurants that Johns highlights with her events. She connected with the Feed the Fight effort and had the food spots she partnered with (along with some new ones) help provide 2,000 meals to medical workers in the area. That helped stave off the worst possible outcome for these establishments who, now in Virginia’s Phase 2 reopening plan, have more flexibility with their dining options. But Johns said that she hasn’t felt there is a rush to eat indoors based on what she’s seen on social media or detected in her conversations with restaurant owners. Outdoor eating, such as a rescheduled — and sold out — event at Fava Pot in Falls Church that’s shooting for August, is another story. Navigating the March event at Yayla and the past three months as a whole definitely has a different vibe compared to how

other Open Kitchen demos have gone down. A former corporate event planner for the tourism industry and philanthropists, Johns always had an interest in international food. She met people from all over the world when she first moved to D.C. as a 20-something, and to overcome the language barrier, she’d share a home cooked meal with them. But Johns didn’t just want to eat her hosts’ food; she wanted to learn how to cook it herself. That curiosity was well-received, and it created a bond that she seeks to replicate in her business. She just has to scope out these places that have peeling paint or are in a shady strip mall since her clientele might not be brave enough to visit them on their own. To Johns, the perfect match is an owner that enjoys engaging their customers and wants to share a bit of themselves with their guests. She found that last spring when she did a trial run at Hawwi, an Ethiopian restaurant based in Old Town Alexandria, who were drawn to Johns’ earnest mission of highlighting immigrant-owned restaurants in the area that got little publicity. “People come to me all the time and try to convince me to do things with them and usually I say ‘no,’” Hawwi’s owners told Johns, according to Johns’ recol-

lection. “But what you’re doing is trying to help people like myself — trying to help immigrants — and I want to help you because you’re trying to help people like me.” Johns soon outlined a template where she would set up a public event during non-peak hours to boost business and work as free marketing for the restaurant as well. Each restaurant’s best offerings provide a unique glimpse into its culture. At Hawwi, that meant a traditional coffee ceremony where the owner roasted green coffee beans from her husband’s native part of Egypt. For others, such as a January event at Dolan Uyghur Restaurant near Cleveland Park in D.C., the owner had one of their employees play Uyghur music since it’s customary during meals. And for Yayla, the brothers shared their Turkish tea to go with baklava for guests to conclude the event. Johns doesn’t claim to be a pioneer in elevating food establishments run by immigrants, which has become a business model done in other major cities. But she does say her format — which is often mislabeled as a “cooking class” — does distinguish itself from the pack because the cooking component is done in conjunction with owners enlightening attendees about themselves and their traditions. And it’s a formula that applies to more than just filling sleepy periods at restaurants. Johns intends to dabble in Saturday brunches, plus add more corporate events during the week, such as some she’s already done with realtors and nonprofits. She has faith once the pandemic passes that she’ll be able to pick business back up, despite the mission never being about raking in the dough. The stars of the show are the owners, their hospitality and, yes, their food. This company is an extension of Johns’ dream: wanting to take the homeyness of those meals she shared in her early D.C. years to a broader audience. Zaza told the crowd on that Sunday that “This is our house. We didn’t want to [make it feel like] a commercial establishment,” might be proof enough she’s living it. Now Johns and the restaurant owners are just waiting for the world to welcome themselves back into those homes.

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Examination of F.C. History, New LGBT Entity, All Efforts to Address Prejudice Continued from Page 1

sight committee aimed at changes in use of force practices, 2. a proposed name change of one or two of Falls Church City’s five public schools (postponed by the School Board until next Tuesday), 3. the proposed formation of a F.C. historic committee to carefully and fearlessly reexamine the true intentions behind the formation of the City of Falls Church carved out of Fairfax County in the late 1940s, 4. a powerful address on the issues of compassion and change by a senior at the George Mason High School online graduation ceremony last week and, 5. in light of the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday outlawing LGBT employment discrimination, the formation of a new “LGBT Falls Church” entity. The police oversight committee idea followed an extensive briefing to the F.C. City Council at its online meeting this Monday night by the veteran police officer and now City Human Resources Director Steve Mason and F.C. Police Chief Mary

Gavin on proper police training and practices. It included a proposal by City Manager Wyatt Shields to form a 12-member volunteer police oversight committee by June 30 that will prepare a report and use that as the basis for a public forum and resulting in changes proposed to the Council. Mason said that “the use of force is a serious matter and the most solemn power a government has.” “This must not be a one-time thing,” said Council member Letty Hardi, who suggested it be repeated every six months. She said it should include investigations into funding levels for the police department relative to other jurisdictions and also cover the Sheriff’s Department. “This is a new day,” she said. “This must not be allowed to fall by the wayside anywhere in the U.S. The committee will be grounded in the four action items listed in the Obama Foundation’s “common sense limits on the use of force,” including a review of the last five years of incident reports, an engagement of the community on policing practices to “hear what the com-

munity says,” a report of findings to the community and the solicitation of feedback and reforms in the use of force policies and procedures. It would involve a review of training practices at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy that serves 17 member agencies to train prospective new police officers for 14 weeks. (It was noted that on July 1, legislation passed in Richmond earlier this year and signed by Gov. Ralph Northam will become law, and that will include a lot of new local discretion on the implementation of gun use laws by individual jurisdictions. So far, only Alexandria has begun to explore what it may want to do once empowered to do so, according to Shields.) The F.C. School Board did not arrive at the point on its agenda to discuss possible name changes for George Mason High and Thomas Jefferson Elementary until 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, and voted to move the issue to a work session next Tuesday, June 23, when it will be the first item on the agenda. The board heard

almost an hour of public comments on the subject taking all sides. The F.C. founding history project was the brainchild of Eric Pelton, who serves on the board of the Economic Development Authority, arising amid informal discussions that the incorporation of the City was done in order to preserve racial segregation. F.C. Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly is spearheading the formation of the study group that is scheduled to hold an initial online pow-wow today. Taped for replay on June 10 as part of George Mason High School’s Class of 2020 online graduation ceremony, senior class vice president Kate Rasmussen delivered a particularly passionate address to her classmates on the value of seeking new meaning in life that is particularly accessible at this time for “establishing a new standard of normal.” The “future is in our hands more than ever” to advance a “broader, more diverse world.” “Seek a cause that can spark an epiphany that says, ‘I can do something about that,’” she said. “Question, pursue the truth, empathize with others. Be a helper.” With the historic and surprise 6-3 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court Monday to extend employment pro-

JUNE 18 – 24, 2020 | PAGE 5

tections to LGBT citizens, a “LGBT Falls Church” entity has been “called into being” by News-Press owner Nicholas Benton, himself a gay activist pioneer dating to 1969 and author of two books on the subject. That move was applauded by F.C. Mayor David Tarter, who wrote, “Congratulations, I am looking forward to hearing more from LGBT Falls Church.” More information is available from LGBTFallsChurch@ gmail.com. COVID-19 UPDATE In the last week, starting from Thursday, June 11 and going until Wednesday, June 17, the Virginia Department of Health has updated its coronavirus data for the City of Falls Church to include 58 total cases (+2 from last week) as well as 11 hospitalized (no change) and seven deaths (last Thursday’s update recorded eight deaths, but health officials lowered the number after the person was found not to be a F.C. City resident). The Fairfax Health District, which the City is a part of, has 13,279 total cases (+343 from last week), including 1,535 hospitalized (+57) and 443 deaths (+11).

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Not the Time For Letting Up

In the midst of a lengthy briefing to the Falls Church School Board Tuesday night on options for the reopening of F.C. schools in late August under a range of scenarios for in-person or a combination of in-person and online education, some eyewitness accounts of School Board members witnessing students around town not practicing social distancing or masking practices drew an aroused and impassioned appeal from Superintendent Peter Noonan to the Falls Church community. Noonan turned away from the briefing to speak directly to the F.C. community through the broadcast lens carrying the live work session on the Schools’ YouTube channel. “When groups of kids are roaming the streets of F.C. or at parties and are not social distancing (staying six feet apart — ed.) or wearing masks it puts the entire school system in a place where lots of people wind up in a risky position,” Noonan said. “I’m appealing to the community to work with us.” School Board chair Greg Anderson echoed Noonan’s comments. “Behaviors over the summer will impact our ability to have school in the fall,” he said. Indeed, there have been a lot of commentaries about the fatigue of keeping up the rigors of stemming the Covid-19 coronavirus’ spread impacting all of us, and in some places in the U.S. there has been an early opening of businesses and recreational areas, like beaches, all over the country. Unfortunately, the virus does not respect impatience. It does not respect the absurd situation in the U.S. where to wear a mask or to not wear a mask has come to constitute a political statement. It does not recognize that its somewhat lessened ability to trigger a life threatening illness in some segments of the population (like in a younger and healthier demographic) doesn’t preclude its subsequent spread to more vulnerable populations, like uncles, grandmothers and best friends. Clearly, leaders of this community, like their counterparts all around them, remain sharply focused on the ongoing lethal and highly-contagious nature of this one-in-a-lifetime contagion that continues to swirl around us in our midst. Much of the focus of Tuesday’s F.C. School Board meeting centered on attempting to develop plans to engage in the inherently risky plans to reopen the schools in less than two months now. They’re deeply concerned about how they can open the schools this fall without triggering a resurgence of the virus’ spread. But it is troubling that for all the anxiety and sleepless nights that our governmental and school leaders are experiencing, for too much of the rest of the population there is little more than a desire to get this all over with. Not everyone, by far, but by too many. It is simply not smart to act out this impatience with a disdain for social distancing and masking. So please, Falls Church, heed Dr. Noonan’s appeal. The future of so much remains at stake.

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Nearly 700 Signatures Support Changing TJ Elementary’s Name Editor, My name is Hayley LofturThun, I am an alumnus of Falls Church City Public Schools, and I live with my family only blocks away from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. In light of recent events, my curiosity was sparked and I was spurred into researching Thomas Jefferson further, after whom the very elementary school I attended is

now named. Through my research I came across very unsettling news about Jefferson, which led me to create a petition which has received 170 signatures in only its first two days being active. The petition now has nearly 700 signatures. As I researched Jefferson, I came across a publication by the Smithsonian which revealed

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pages of Jefferson’s farm book that were purposefully hidden from public record in 1964 until rediscovered years later in 2012. These pages contain passages written by Jefferson himself about how he enslaved and beat young African Americans as young as age 9, and took pride in these actions. In addition, The Smithsonian states not only did Jefferson himself own over 607 slaves throughout his lifetime, but he was extremely influential in spreading and promoting slavery through his creation of the four percent formula. This four percent formula stated for

every black slave born, he calculated he earned a 4 percent profit each year, which he considered one of his major accomplishments at Monticello. He boiled down the life of a human being’s worth to a profit margin. In a time when our silence belies complicity in injustice, these men on our monuments and names on our schools operate as powerful symbols. The time for change has come. Although I realize history is complex and Jefferson was a complicated figure, I cannot

More Letters on Page 19

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JUNE 18 – 24, 2020 | PAGE 7

Fellows Site Should Preserve Fire�lies, Not Add Concrete B� B�� B��

For more than a century, the old Fellows farmhouse at 604 S. Oak Street, across from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, has been surrounded by about two acres of natural forest that were protected when the rest of the neighborhood was developed for housing. It is an island of ecological habitat, preserving a small sample of the trees, understory plants, birds, small mammals and insect life that once existed in our city. A giant red oak on the property has been designated as a “specimen tree” by the city’s Urban Forestry Commission. Owls still call from these old woods at night. In midsummer, the firefly display is spectacular. The City of Falls Church recently acquired the Fellows Property, demolished the farmhouse, and is just beginning the process of planning for its use as a public park. Normally the planning process would begin with neighborhood and public meetings, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, these could not be held. Instead, on May 15, in its Covid19 Update electronic newsletter, the city’s Recreation and Parks Department invited subscribers to that newsletter to take a survey regarding the purpose and appropriate uses of the Fellows Property. The survey was heavily weighted toward what it called “active recreation,” which would require extensive and environmentally impactful infrastructure. Examples of such activities proposed in the survey were a special event venue, dog park, playground, pickleball court, picnic shelters,

barbecue area, sand volleyball court and bike paths. In response to this unbalanced survey, a group of Falls Church residents with a different vision for the former Fellows Property has been formed. Calling ourselves the “Friends of Fellows Forest,” the group believes that

“Friends of Fellows Forest believes that the use of the Fellows Property for infrastructureintensive recreational activities would be incompatible with its natural values.” the City of Falls Church should give fair and unbiased consideration to forest-friendly and nature-compatible uses of the property. These uses could include: • Protection of the diverse mature canopy trees, natural understory and relatively undisturbed soil conditions to serve as a living demonstration of how a forest ecosystem slows runoff and controls storm water, takes up

carbon and protects climate, and provides irreplaceable wildlife habitat. • Permeable-surface walking paths, and benches for birdwatching, firefly viewing, photography, outdoor drawing, and other nature observation and environmental education activities. • A nature trail identifying native trees and understory plants for use by city residents and students and teachers from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. Firefly-watchers have identified at least ten species of fireflies in Fellows Forest by their unique flashing patterns in past years. It is a reporting site for the citizen-science project Firefly Watch (www.firefly.org); two species have been seen so far this year. Fellows Forest has protected a sample of these amazing insects in our midst because of its big trees, natural forest understory, and the relative darkness of the surrounding neighborhood. Fireflies don’t move much. Females waiting in the grass or on bushes near the ground attract flashing males with return flashes, and, after mating, lay their eggs in moist places nearby. Larval fireflies feed and grow in the soil and leaf litter, and adults emerge in the same area where their parents delighted us with their silent sparks the previous year. Fireflies are declining in abundance and diversity throughout eastern North America, and globally, threatened by loss of natural habitat, increasing light pollution, and pesticides. Firefly scientists at the University of Virginia recently published the results of a study of

artificial nighttime lighting such as unshielded streetlights and security lights on firefly courtship behavior, mating success, and population size. They found that light pollution reduced male flashing by 70 percent in one species, and significantly reduced female courtship flashing in another. Such behavioral changes undoubtedly affect mating success and the ability of these species to persist in light-polluted areas. Fortunately, light pollution has a simple solution—proper shields and hoods for street and security lights that direct the light where it is needed, rather than allowing it to “trespass” where it is not. The City of Falls Church takes pride in being a “Tree City USA,” as designated by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Doesn’t it make sense for our Tree City to protect Fellows Forest and its fireflies when it has a chance to do so? Only one other city in the United States — Nibley, Utah — has created a public park specifically for the protection and observation of fireflies. Falls Church could be the second in the country if it establishes “Fellows Forest Firefly Park.” Friends of Fellows Forest believes that the use of the Fellows Property for infrastructure-intensive recreational activities would be incompatible with its natural values. We hope many of our fellow citizens will agree with us. Bruce Byers is an ecologist, consultant, writer, and Falls Church resident. You can contact him by email at fellowsforest@ gmail.com

Q�� W�� Do you believe Falls Church City Police will adjust its practices well in light of the national protests? • Yes

• No

• Not sure

Visit www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

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Last Week’s Question: Do you support changing the name of George Mason High School?

22% No 2% Not Sure

76%

Yes

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

PAGE 8 | JUNE 18 – 24, 2020

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Congratulations to George Mason High’s Class of 2020

Colter Albert Tabola Adams Marcos Sebastian Aguilar Sami Joseph Altarazi Estefania Ailen Alvarado Cruz Alberto Alvarez Jr. Lloyd Angelo Amaranto Victor Jack Anderson Lauren Alexis Baartz Carolyn Sol Baek Ella Rain Baran Ted Alan Bartimus Olivia Morenike Blackstone Christopher Philip Boerner Zorhan Isaac Boston Melissa Alexandra Boyle Kai Yoneshige Bradford Henry Joe Brorsen Solomon Perry Brown Hunter Todd Broxson Ethan Donald Calabrese Caroline Therese Capozzi Isabel Aurora Caton Kaleb Brandon Chan Sophia Marie Chavez Katherine Cicoria Avery James Collins Fernando Javier Cruz Caceres Zoe Elisabeth Cunniffe Ciara Marie Curtin Elisa Yoneko D’Agostino Rachel Elise Danckaert Cole Sutton Davies Isabel Josephine Davis Erin Agnes Dean Kyle Patrick Dean Fikru Emishaw Dejene Nina Marjorie Dhunjishah Erik Gavriel Donnelly Rachel Naomi Doornbosch Alexandra Michelle Dunie Zachariah Mahdi Elariny Jack Kane Evans Jack Arthur Fagnan Nicholas Fiegel Kelly Elaine Fischer Cullen Thomas Foley Sarah Fong Jonathan Arthur Fritsch Jr Grace Elizabeth Games Ana Carolina Garcia Garcia John Tucker Gaskins Victor Leander Peter Erhard Gedeck Eliza Gibb Matthew Thomas Giblin

Perla Isolina Gonzalez John Sherman Goodwin Lucas Jay Green Sofia Alexandra Heartney Miles Francis Heffernan Cole Gardner Hellert Lily King Hinden Luke Paravic Hine George Stewart Hoak Keenan Wai Sean Hom Elizabeth Carol Hoofnagle Rebecca Eliza Horovitz Fiona Marie Howard Grace Anne Hughes Savanna Jenine Ibelli Ana Karin Iturralde Zurita Dexter Thomas Jackson Agnes Elaine Jagerskog Naila Danela Jaldin-Sejas Kaia Ellis Jefferson Zachary Dean Jepson Kahmel Marcus Johnson Evan Marshall Jones Helena Dawn Jordan John Edward Kelley Kevin Kang Kim Alexander Fernando Koo Daniel Rae Kramer Alexander Arseny Kryazhev Philip Andrew Langford Jr Matthew Joseph Larrain Evan Brooke Lawrence Kevan Jacob Leach Victoria Rose Lecce Aziza Nur Lejlic Emma Elizabeth Levri Jasper Byrne Litton Elly Jeanne Loyd John Sheppard Lyons Natali Elisabeth Majano Contreras Madison Grace Mamajek Spencer Michael Marcus Sophia Carine Margarella Asher Aaron Marr Claire Isabella McFaddin Devin Richard McMahon Juliana Caroline Melton Merone Hiwot Mesfin Zawge Corwin Makarios Miller Daniel Christopher Miller Fernanda Molina Galindo Helen Isabel Morris Blaine Kent Morse Daniella Joy Nehema Holly Marie Nelson

Jacob Tellado Nelson Celeste Mai Anh Nguyen Joshua Parker Nicholson Clare Maire O’Hanlon Enzo James Michael Paradiso Ciel Ceune Park Caleb Basil Parnell Nolan Lower Parrish Connor Russell Plaks Katharine Jane Rasmussen Baker Ross Reid Cale Andrew Reinfurt Stephany Reyes-Ramirez Maya Giselle Richter Emma Joan Rollins Julia Brew Rosenberger Hannah Elizabeth Rossi Catherine Isabel Sanchez Crowe Ivan Alexander Sauers-Gish Irene Elizabeth Schall Alec Roman deLeon Schneider Jo Sevier Elijah Alejandro Shafa Tahaseen Shaik Josephine Qian-Hui Shaw Jordan Saahir Shoup Niharika Singhvi Brandon Ja’Von Steen Gabriella Breckinridge Stevens Kaylee Marie Stillwagoner Olivia Skousen Sudweeks Maansi Mallika Suri Stephanie Synnott Blen Tamrat Chiara Simge Tartaglino Quinn Joseph Thacker Lucie Virginia Thenhaus Katherine Elizabeth Tibbetts Rose Deste Elizabeth Tombul Margaret Fraser Traverse Michael Felix Turner Julia Renae Twiford Benjamin Aucella Updike Daniela Valderrama-Avila Alexander Thomas Wallace William Matthew Ward Jr. Elizabeth Whitney Wells Hannah Jean Whitlock Henry Chambers Wildman Ivan Ashton Williams Elias Joseph Wisemiller Michael Alan Yee Martin Minsung Yoon Samee Riyaz Zaver

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Fa l l s C h u r c h

NEWS BRIEFS Noonan: Surveys Begin This Week to Estimate Fall Enrollment Looking to anticipate how much of a drop off in enrollment will be in the Falls Church City Public Schools in the fall, FCCPS Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan has appointed a team on his staff to conduct a citywide survey in an effort to estimate what enrollment numbers may look like once classes commence August 24. He said it is expected that as many as 30 percent of students may not be enrolling for classroom, alternating-day classroom or hybrid classroom-online education depending on decisions yet to be made. Noonan said that those students not planning to enroll will be provided means to participate in a Virtual Virginia Classroom where they would have access to support from a FCCPS instructor. The Virtual Virginia curriculum, however, will not be aligned with the FCCPS’ though if there will be a reduction in student enrollment, there will also be teachers available to be repurposed for helping students study online. Dr. Noonan said that the FCCPS’S will be providing day care services, and that the system’s paraprofessional corps “is very strong” in the event that teachers may be out due to illness, as well. Noonan said that as of June 25 parents will have access to a schedule of dates and classroom content.

Special Exception Needed for New E. Fairfax Building A change in a Falls Church City Hall ruling to now require a zoning exception for a proposed new one-and-a-half-story building at 116 East Fairfax Street could delay its construction well into the fall, the F.C. City Council determined at its work session Monday night. The proposed building to house a children’s play gym known as Go Scramble was originally designed as a “by right” project. The site, currently an undeveloped parcel used as a church parking lot, will contribute an as-yet-undetermined tax revenue stream to the City if developed, and the historic Falls Church Episcopal Church across the street, which favors the plan, will be given free use of the gym on Sunday mornings, while additional parking has been arranged for that time from Doris Newcombe’s adjacent Tower Square.

JUNE 18 - 24, 2020 | PAGE 9

Stringent Food Safety Practices and Strict Compliance with All Regulations More Important Than Ever Due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis

Food and Food Handling Regulations for Arlington County, City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, City of Falls Church, Fairfax City, Town of Herndon and Town of Vienna require ALL restaurants and food service establishments to be under the “immediate control” of an individual who possesses a current Northern Virginia Certified Food Manager (NVCFM) Card during ALL hours of operation. ORS Interactive, Inc. (www.orsinteractive.com) is the only provider of the NVCFM Card and issues the NVCFM Card through a consortium agreement with Arlington County, Fairfax County and City of Alexandria. Earn both an ANSI Accredited Food Safety Certification and secure a Northern Virginia Certified Food Manager (NVCFM) Card in as little as one day from ORS Interactive. ORS Interactive, Inc. has more than 20 years of experience providing Food Safety Training & Certification. We offer both public food safety classes (the current schedule is listed on our website) and private food safety classes (minimum of 8 persons required) taught on-site at your location or in the ORS Training & Testing Center in Falls Church. Online Training for the ServSafe Food Safety Certification Exam and advice for reopening or maintaining foodservice establishments during and after the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis are also available on the ORS website.

ORS Interactive, Inc. / Northern Virginia Certified Food Manager 6066 Leesburg Pike, Suite 200B, Falls Church, VA 22041 E-mail: info@orsinteractive.com; Tel: (703) 533-7600; Web: www.orsinteractive.com Located on Leesburg Pike (Route 7) near Culmore Shopping Center and Bailey’s Crossroads

Nuestros trabajadores se podran comunicar en espanol para el beneficio de todas las personas que hablen este idioma.

Report: Landlord Seeks to Evict ‘Hot N Juicy’ in F.C. According to a report in this week’s D.C.-based Washington City Paper by Laura Hayes, the downtown Falls Church-based “Hot N Juicy Crawfish” seafood restaurant in the 100 block of W. Broad is facing the threat of eviction by attorneys representing the landlord, FMR Development LLC. Delinquency in the payment of rent is given as the reason. The restaurant has been at its present location for five years and is part of a national chain run by the husband-wife team of Tim Nguyen and Laina Vo. In F.C., the restaurant has been, according to News-Press sources, among the most successful during the difficulties of the recent pandemic lockdowns, even as its business, too, has dropped off dramatically. But while Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered a moratorium on evictions during this period until the end of July, his order applies only to residences and not to businesses.

24 Hour Fitness’ F.C. Location Remains Open With the announcement this week that over 100 locations nationwide of 24 Hour Fitness studios are closing immediately, the City of Falls Church location at 1000 E. Broad will continue as one of only two locations for the outfit in Virginia. A gym in Tysons Corner at 1500 Cornerside Blvd. is among those closing immediately and the only other one in Virginia remaining open is in Fairfax at the Price Club Plaza.

Herring Hails U.S. Supreme Court Pro-LGBT Ruling Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Monday to uphold LGBT protections under Title VII. The statement reads as follows: “This morning the Supreme Court issued an opinion saying that an employer who fires an employee simply for being gay or transgender is in violation of Title VII. Last summer, Attorney General Herring filed an amicus brief in this case arguing that sexual orientation and gender identity are protected under Title VII and in 2016 he issued an official advisory opinion that predicted the Supreme Court would rule this way because gender-identity and sexualorientation discrimination necessarily involves treating individuals less favorably on account of sex-based considerations. Today, equality wins again. “

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30 Yees!

PAGE 10 | JUNE 18 – 24, 2020

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News-Press

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Community News & Notes Culmore Clinic Food & Wine Event Moved Online

IN A SPECIAL WHITE HOUSE celebration of National LGBT Pride month in June 2009, then vice president and now presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden (center) was flanked by the late LGBT pioneer champion Frank Kameny (left) and the News-Press’ Nicholas Benton (right), active in the cause since 1969 who announced the formation of LGBT Falls Church this week (see story elsewhere this issue). (Photo: News-Press)

FALLS CHURCH-ANNANDALE LIONS CLUBS MEMBERS, along with members from Fairfax and Alexandria, donated nearly $20K toward nonprofit Food for Others’ new redesigned delivery truck. The truck will allow Food for Others to continue serving over 4,000 families per week during the coronavirus pandemic.. (Photo: Courtesy Falls Church-Annandale Lions Club)

The coronavirus pandemic is preventing the in-person gathering of Culmore Clinic’s annual International Food & Wine Tasting event, but the clinic will instead host the event online at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 20. Anyone who is interested in making a one-time donation or a recurring donation through Culmore’s Stewardship Circle (culmoreclinic.org/donate#circle) can explore the special benefits that come from doing so below. Donors of any amount will automatically be entered in the clinic’s raffle drawing for a wine basket from Vienna Vintners. The drawing will immediately follow the toast. Participants don’t need to be online or in Virginia to win (the prize will be sent to the winner). All donations of any amount are qualified for an entry into the raffle. Or — donors who give $350 or more will earn themselves a bottle of Austrian wine from Vienna Vintner to open and toast with the clinic that evening. Lastly — donors who give $1,200 or more will be admitted to a private Zoom wine tasting lead by former sommelier and Austrian wine expert, Klaus Wittauer, immediately following the raffle. Vienna Vintners has chosen four varieties from two Austrian producers to introduce and taste with the donor(s). Those who are interested can still make a donation and participate in the event.

Longfellow Middle Students Land in Top 8 at Science Bowl Longfellow Middle’s Science Bowl team participated in the Zoom version of the National

Science Bowl, placing in the top eight in the country. Forty-five teams from across the U.S. took part in the national competition, advancing from the regional competition where teams had to place first in order to advance. Team members are David Wei, Daniel Li, Samuel Li, Vayun Malik and Shaan Vyas. Science teacher Jim Bradford sponsors the team.

Quinn Auction Galleries Opens Summer Season Quinn’s Auction Galleries opens its summer season with an online-only Fine & Decorative Arts Auction on Saturday, June 27, starting at 11 a.m. The sale includes a fine selection of Asian, American, European and Modern artworks, with selections by Merton Simpson, Dale Chihuly, Anton Chittussi and other noted artists. Distinctive furniture designs by Mira Nakashima also highlight the sale. Bronzes, silver, fine clocks, Russian icons, rugs, glass, porcelains and ceramics — including coveted Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre wares — will cross the auction block together with a varied selection of Asian decorative arts. The latter category incorporates Chinese porcelain, silk textiles, snuff bottles and other beautiful objects of the Far East. One featured item includes a large Chinese three-piece bronze Guanyin from the late Ming or early-to-mid Qing Dynasty is a strong candidate for the top lot of the auction. The pre-sale estimate of $10,000 – $15,000. Another featured item is a Nakashima lounge chair with a free right arm, hickory spindles and a sap walnut seat, signed and dated (2000) beneath the seat, which could reach $4,000-$6,000.

Send Us Your News & Notes!

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

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

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MANY FALLS CHURCH SENIOR CITIZENS engaged in civic activism retired to nearby Goodwin House. Their residents and staff gathered together on Tuesday for an eight minutes 42 second Silent Vigil tribute to George Floyd. They wanted to express their outrage over racial injustice. Many residents had been involved with the Civil Rights Movement earlier in their lives. After the vigil and protest songs, their posters and sings were hung along Jefferson Street. (P��: C�� G�� H�� F�� C��)

Designed by Mira Nakashima, the daughter of famous furniture designer George Nakashima (1905-1990), her works are considered modern classics and hold a timeless appeal with collectors. Due to pandemic safety protocols, in-person floor bidding will not be available for this auction, however phone and absentee bids will be accepted, and Internet live bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Quinn’s will be hosting in-person previews by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, email charlotte.taylor@quinnsauction.com. For additional information on any item in the June 27 auction, call 703-532-5632, ext. 575; or email info@quinnsauc-

tion.com. View the online catalog and register to bid live online at LiveAuctioneers.com or Invaluable.com. Absentee bids are accepted only via HiBid. Visit Quinn’s online at quinnsauction. com. Quinn’s is always accepting consignments for future auctions.

4 Groups Receive Funds From Women’s Club of McLean The New Dominion Women’s Club of McLean has named four beneficiaries as part of its annual charitable giving. Share of McLean, the Safe Community Coalition, Friends of Clemyjontri and McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) will each receive $4,000 to fund programs that serve the McLean area.

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A SPONTANEOUS GATHERING and a lengthy cavalcade of cars by neighbors and friends helped Dave and Nonie Spevacek celebrate their 50th anniversary back on May 23. Residents of Broadmont since 1976, the Spevacek’s enjoyed their unof�icial status as the neighborhood’s “�irst couple” with dozens of wellwishers, some of whom date their time in The Little City to the early 70’s. (P��: C�� D�� F��)

“The coronavirus has changed how many of us serve our communities. These hard-working organizations now have funds to innovate existing programs and launch new ones,” said Kim Marinus, president of the NDWC. “We are proud our club can make a difference at this difficult time.” While the NDWC continued to meet virtually during the pandemic, it was not able to host a new fundraiser themed to the Kentucky Derby. Thanks to the support of its sponsors, including Transurban, The Mather and the HBC Group, the NDWC’s first “Derby Party” will now be held on May 1, 2021. “Next year the Derby Party will join the highly successful Wine Tasting and Arts Nights Out events as our third major fundrais-

check out our website for our community efforts.

JUNE 18 – 24, 2020 | PAGE 11

er. We are grateful to our sponsors for their continued support of this new event. We are looking forward to it and hope everyone will mark their calendars now.” The New Dominion Women’s Club (ndwc.org) is a civic organization, based in McLean, VA, committed to promoting, encouraging, supporting and cultivating the civic, cultural, educational welfare of the community.

‘Juneteenth’ Demonstration At Rock Spring Church On Friday, June 19, from 4 – 5:30 p.m., members and friends of Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) will gather around their church in witness and solidarity with Black

Lives Matter. The demonstration will begin at the church campus (5010 Little Falls Rd., Arlington) and will spread out along local roads. It is part of a series of actions Rock Spring UCC is taking in support of black lives and dismantling systemic racism in the U.S. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, participants will be asked to wear masks and maintain social distancing. All are welcome. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration honoring the official end of slavery in the United States. The June 19 demonstration is being held in coordination with other UCC churches throughout the Central Atlantic Conference, which stretches from New Jersey to Richmond, Virginia.

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PAGE 12 | JUNE 18 - 24, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Delegate Marcus Simon’s

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Richmond Report

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

Northern Virginia entered Phase 2 of Covid-19 re-opening last week. That was good news for most people, as the lockdowns of the past three months have kept many residents home and, perhaps, apprehensive. Should I go out? Is it safe to go out? Which stores are open? Can/should I go back to work? Do I still need to wear a facemask? What about travelling overnight? Perhaps the only certain answer is yes, you must wear a facemask whenever you go outside your front door. A facemask protects you and whomever you may meet, even in a brief outing. Sadly, outside of Covid-19, it may be difficult to ascertain which phase we are in. Weeks of peaceful and not-so-peaceful protests heighten the awareness of many citizens, but the shock of caught-on-camera footage of police actions against black men here in Fairfax County, in Atlanta, and elsewhere, has added fuel to the fire. Hundreds of identical emails to elected officials, demanding defunding of police, are an easy way to communicate. Tapping a button on your phone to send a canned instant message to dozens of pre-selected officials, though, just skims the surface. Getting involved in potential change needs more than loud chants. It requires open minds, examination of current rules and regulations and how they came about, and a willingness to listen to all points of view. If Phase Zero is mostly peaceful protest marches, then perhaps entering Phase 1 for dialogues about public safety is possible. Perhaps…. On a brighter side, a couple of recent events, involving vehicles, in Mason District demonstrates how creativity can make lemonade from some pretty bitter lemons. The Covid-19 pandemic meant that local high school seniors didn’t get to experience the various rites of graduation – Senior Skip Day, prom, walking across the stage to receive a diploma, the all-night graduation party afterward, or even Beach Week. In Lincolnia, neighbors got together

to create a unique experience for seniors and their families and, fortunately, the weather cooperated. On a perfect sunny Saturday morning, graduating seniors, mostly from Annandale High School with a few other schools represented, filled the sidewalk adjacent to the Lincolnia Park Recreation Club. Wearing school colors and seated in decorated lawn chairs, with balloons flying, the graduates presided over a parade of over 40 or so decorated vehicles that passed by. Flanked at the beginning and end by fire apparatus from Station 26, lights flashing and occasional siren blasts, the parade was a delightful and distinctive salute to the hard work of the Class of 2020. Last year, the Medical Care for Children Partnership (MCCP) Foundation (www.mccpfoundation.org) inaugurated a new pediatric dental care van that provides free dental care to children who qualify for the program. The van is equipped with two dental suites, and all the accoutrements of a small dental office. Sadly, Covid-19 caused a suspension of the dental program, but MCCP leadership repurposed the van – providing twice-a-week meals to needy families in the Culmore area at the Woodrow Wilson Library. Working with partners, including the Legal Aid Justice Center and famed chef Jose Andres, MCCP already has provided more than 2500 meals to the community. Hunger is a huge issue during the pandemic, as evidenced by increasing demands at locally run food pantries. Fortunately, MCCP identified a community need, sought a resolution, and brought resources to help. Thank you, MCCP! Stay safe, and healthy.  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h

CRIME REPORT Week of June 8 – 14, 2020 Larceny, 300 blk James St. June 6th at approximately 9:45 PM, unknown suspect(s) took packages from the doorstep of a residence.

Larceny, 400 blk S Maple Ave. Between April 22nd and May 28th, unknown suspect(s) took a package from the building’s mail delivery room.

WHO ACTUALLY DO.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE

WHO THINK

Destruction of Property, 300 blk S Washington St. between June 9th and June 10th unknown suspect(s) damaged a parked vehicle by breaking a window. Motor Vehicle Theft, 200 blk W Greenway Blvd. between June 9th and June 10th unknown suspect(s) took a vehicle from the driveway of a residence.

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THE ONES

THEY HAVE THEIR CHILD IN THE RIGHT SEAT.

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Trespass, 100 blk E Annandale Rd. on June 10th, at approximately 7:12 PM, a male, 62, of Falls Church, VA, was issued a citation for trespassing.

IF YOUR CHILD IS IN THE RIGHT CAR SEAT. VISIT SAFERCAR.GOV/THERIGHTSEAT

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As a general rule, the new laws the General Assembly passes during its regular session in January and February take effect on July 1st every year. Some of the big changes we made this year, including increasing the minimum wage, may have delayed effective dates, while others, like all of our gun violence prevention statutes will take effect in just a couple of weeks. So many big, exciting, historic things made headlines this session, that you could be forgiven for forgetting that we did some things that, in any other year, would have been THE big story out of Richmond. For instance, you probably knew that Virginia decriminalized simple possession of marijuana, so that it’s now a civil offense punishable by a fine, but did you know that we also legalized sport betting in Virginia? The Virginia State Lottery will be in charge of granting licenses, setting up strong consumer protections (that’s why my bill was incorporated into the new law) and we established a Gambling Treatment and Support Fund. You probably heard that we granted localities the right to regulate firearms in the buildings and parks they own. You may even have heard recently that localities will have the right to move, remove or contextualize confederate monuments! You may not have heard about some of the other new powers we granted localities, and counties in particular. Reducing reliance on real property taxes in places like Fairfax County in particular has long been one of my priorities. Now local governments can impose their own cigarette tax and create a plastic bag tax. They can also adopt their own affordable housing ordinances with certain provisions. Localities now have the authority to enact their own human rights ordinances or non-discrimination policies in housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, and education on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. We also updated the Hate Crimes Statute to include gender, disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation to the categories of victims covered. This means that a higher criminal penalty can be sought for the offence and that the crime will be reported to the cen-

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tral information database. You may have heard about the Clean Economy Act which seeks to transform the grid in Virginia and eventually wean us off of fossil fuels all together, but you probably didn’t know we made it easier for electric vehicle owners to install a charging station in front of their home or within the boundary of their community association’s parking area. For those looking to live greener lives, we’ve also made it easier to obtain residential solar panels with the Solar Freedom Act. Many folks lauded us for ending the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for people too poor to pay their court fines or fees, but did you know that we also made it easier to report an overdose without having to worry about being arrested? Our Good Samaritan Law passed after being introduced for years without success. In a year that seems to be a nonstop series of unprecedented bad news headlines, you’d be forgiven if you hadn’t heard that the General Assembly finally capped interest rates and fees on loans from predatory lenders. The loan companies will also have to make more reasonable attempts to verify a borrower’s income. Student loan borrowers will also have protections at the state level, including a new Borrower’s Bill of Rights that requires student loan servicing companies to be licensed by the Bureau of Financial Institutions and promise not to lie to borrowers about their repayment options. If the Federal Department of Education won’t rein these companies in, we now can in Virginia. In fact, we did a lot of things in Virginia that the feds just aren’t doing anymore. Some, they are now finally picking up on. In Virginia we passed a bill to prohibit health insurance companies from charging more than $50 a month for copays. Medicare and Medicaid just announced a similar deal with the pharmaceutical companies. It’s almost like they saw the writing on the wall. Virginia is finally a leader on many important issues. I look forward to setting an example for the rest of the Country on justice and police reform at our upcoming special session this summer. If you’ve got a legislative idea for next year, I’m all ears!

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Trump’s Coup Scenario Dashed

It may be remembered as America’s real life “7 Days in June,” referencing the 1964 nail biter film about a coup takeover of the nation, “7 Days in May.” The centerpiece event we’ll all remember was on June 1, the infamous walk that President Trump and his entourage took from the White House across Lafayette Square to the historic St. John’s Church in order for Trump to pull off an awkward photo opportunity holding a Bible while not saying a word as cameras clicked away. The real photo op, of course, was the police riot that preceded it when, on cue, on an order given by Trump’s sycophant Attorney General William Barr, an array of heavily armed securiFALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS ty forces used tear gas and pepper gas against a large throng of protesters to clear the path for Trump’s walk. It was a stunning display of police state tactics to violently scatter lawfully assembled citizens for no other purpose than to elevate the image of a grimacing tin-horn dictator. The optics of the event mark it as a memorable turning point in U.S. history, the moment which, if the national sentiment was there for it, the U.S. officially descended from a democracy into a military dictatorship. Certainly there were those in that entourage who hoped it would be that way, Trump included. But alas, the scene was so ugly that its net effect was the opposite. It turned the stomach of countless patriotic U.S. military and other leaders to the point that over the course of the next week, very critical signals were issued from military leaders the likes of Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John F. Kelly, former White House chief of staff and Gen. James N. Mattis, former Secretary of Defense. They and others all made it crystal clear that there will be no military coups, even in the event that Trump is crushed which appears to be more and more evident will happen in the November election. If anything, should Trump resist, it will be the military that will march in to forcibly escort this man out of the White House into the waiting arms of authorities who can be expected to swiftly arrest and indict him. There will be no resistance. Trump’s legions of civilian supporters packing their assault weapons, those not sick with Covid-19, will be far too cowardly to lift a finger to protect their man against the full armed force of U.S. law. After the seminal events of the first week of June, Trump and his team are being forced to come to grips with this reality, including the polls showing him falling further and further behind his Democratic rival Joe Biden. It’s time for Trump to start plea bargaining right now. Any credible backing he might have had, as a tool of profoundly immoral financial interests willing to prop him up to enhance their rape of the nation, has already turned to walk slowly at first, but stepping up their pace for an eventual sprint as best they can, those not sick with Covid-19, for cover. The damage has already been done. Through the rank stupidity of their efforts, their party will relinquish control of the entire U.S. government this fall. The U.S. Senate will join the House in turning as blue as the deep blue sea. Part of the 7 Days of June was to include the launch of a domestic shooting war pitting Trump rightwing militias uniting with police and military forces against the marauding so-called Antifa hordes trashing and looting inner cities. Barr tried to set the table for this by falsely identifying Antifa as a domestic terror organization responsible for the violence and looting that characterized late night activity following peaceful protests of the death of George Floyd. That sham turned out to be very short-lived, too, as intelligence agencies were quick to expose the real source of violent rhetoric and violence to be Trumpian rightwing white nationalist groups like Identity Evropa and others disguising themselves as leftists. The result was the violence and looting stopped on a dime, the coup scenario busted.  Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

CO MME NT

JUNE 18 – 24, 2020 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

To the scads of projects delayed by the virus crisis we must add the county’s breakthrough solution for the long-empty Reeves farmhouse. That house built in 1900 on the hill overlooking what today is Bluemont Park was until 1955 the HQ for Arlington’s last dairy farm. It has sat in the dark of public-policy limbo since the county acquired its 2.5 acres in 2001, with preservationists, educators, neighbors and budget critics stalemating on next steps. This Feb. 25, county manager Mark Schwartz announced to the board his recommendation, and the board accepted a proposed multi-party funding plan for adaptive use of the home. It sets “the platinum standard for public-private partnerships,” in the words of Chris Tighe, president of the neighboring Boulevard Manor Civic Association. The Reeves family for decades owned a special place in Arlington hearts. After Nelson Reeves retired in the mid-1950s, his land became a county park and Little League fields, the hill in front of his home prized for winter sledding. “Farming is a good life, although a hard life,” he wrote in the 1975 Arlington Historical Magazine. “We had to get up at 4 o’clock in the morning. I started to help milking when I was big enough to sit on a milking stool and the old cow wouldn’t switch me off with her tail.”

Reeves also worked for 46 years with the Election Board, beginning in 1924 as a clerk in the Glencarlyn precinct and then as a registrar, election judge and courthouse commissioner. My high school friend Mike Good recently told me proudly that his namesake grandfather worked for Reeves before starting his own dairy farm in East Falls Church. And neighbors and teachers at nearby Ashlawn Elementary School have treasured the property with its milking shed for educational gardening (an asset that under the new plan will continue). It was neighborhood leader Tighe who got the brainstorm of approaching the housing nonprofit HabitatNOVA, which rebuilds homes for sale to low-income residents. The fading Reeves house, which will require renovations and maintenance, “was too expensive for one family,” I was told by Noemi Riveira, HabitatNOVA’s director of real estate development. So, Habitat hit on partnering with L’Arche Greater Washington D.C., a nonprofit that provides housing and support to persons with intellectual disabilities, which has experience in Arlington. Yet another partner was recruited to perform the renovations: HomeAid, the philanthropic arm of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association. The country board members are thrilled, though success still depends on HabitatNOVA raising 25 percent of the long-term estimated $2.3 million needed. And

the modernized home that will house four or five individuals from “L’Arche” must preserve features and satisfy the Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board. “The county has been super supportive,” if a bit slow, Tighe said, noting that the house over the years “was basically a money pit.” Most in his civic association are pleased. But the coronavirus has slowed donations absent in-person outreach, Riveira said, and “we had to shift our entire organization’s focus to our construction projects in progress.” The county had given HabitatNOVA five to six months to meet conditions for acquiring the property, said spokeswoman Susan Kalish. It is now coordinating to determine a new timeline. *** My Overlee Community Association took the lead among area pools to create — from scratch — phased-in, safe swimming procedures to address the pandemic. “We were lucky we have a full membership and could afford $5,000 for cleaning supplies and $600 for plastic bins,” manager Greg York told me. Swimmers make appointments and wear masks when arriving. Because changing rooms remain closed, the bins store a swimmer’s belongings and are carried by gloved staff to the exit end of the pool. The approach gleaned from TV news was shared with pool managers throughout the region, York said. The only drawback: no lolling poolside after laps are done.

CA L E NDA R

PAGE 14 | JUNE 18 – 24, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR In response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affecting the globe and policies enacted to avoid social gatherings, the News-Press will publish a list of virtual events weekly in lieu of its regular listings. If you have a virtual event you’d like to see listed, please email calendar@fcnp.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Monday weekly.

CITYEVENTS SATURDAY, JUNE 20 Falls Church Farmers Market To Go. The Falls Church Farmers Market has converted to a preorder, to-go event. All orders must be placed in advance of Saturday’s market which will be open from 8 a.m. – noon for pre-order pickup only in front of City Hall (300 Park Ave.). A list of participating vendors and information on pre-

ordering can be found at fallschurchva.gov/547/Farmers-MarketTo-Go.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, JUNE 18 Jane Austen Book Discussion (Online). This meeting’s Jane Austen book is “Northanger Abbey”. This program will be held online via Zoom. For more information, email Marshall Webster at mwebster@fallschurchva.gov. 7 – 8 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 19 Controlling Mosquitoes & Ticks in Your Yard without Pesticides. Participants can learn pesticidefree best management practices to control mosquitoes and ticks in their yard and keep them away from themselves and their family. The presentation will include

how to identify mosquitoes and ticks prevalent in this area, their life cycle, how they reproduce and where they go in the winter. Online class offered by Extension Master Gardeners. Free. RSVP at mgnv.org/events to receive a link to participate. 10 – 11:30 a.m.

of Information Act, Section 2.23708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the COVID-19 declared emergency. 7:30 – 11 p.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 22

Great Books Discussion. A “Great Books” discussion concentrating on literary classics (both traditional and modern) meeting on the second and fourth Tuesday most months. This month’s book is “Prometheus Unbound” by Aeschylus. This discussion will be held online. Visit fallschurchva. gov/LibraryAtHome for details. 7 – 8:30 p.m.

City Council Meeting (Virtual). The City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of the month, with the exception of August and December when only one meeting is held. The public is welcome to address the City Council on any topic during the public comment period. Public comments will be accepted at cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov, until the end of the meeting’s public hearing time, or by voicemail at (703) 248-5014 until 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting. The virtual meeting will be held pursuant to and in compliance with the Virginia Freedom

TUESDAY, JUNE 23

DAILY Creative Cauldron Online Classes. The City of Falls Church theater company Creative Cauldron is now offering a variety of interactive classes and activities for chil-

dren taught by the theater’s artists. Kids will be moving, creating and socializing during the activities. Those who are interested can enroll online at creativecauldron. org/workshops.htm or email the theater at info@creativecauldron. org to get started. There are classes for adults as well.

Birthplaces of Music: A Virtual Field Trip. This fully interactive, virtual field trip through the world of music history will have participants visiting the birthplaces of four of the most popular genres of music in the world today: classical, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and country. The birthplaces of these great forms of music are Vienna, Austria; New Orleans, Louisiana; Cleveland, Ohio and Bristol, TennesseeVirginia. Visit edtech2.boisestate. edu/joshuasmith8/502/virtualtour/start.html. Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing.Participants should grab some paper and pencils, pens or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of making together. Daily at 1 p.m. Visit kennedy-center.org/ education/mo-willems to watch.

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Learn More at www.FallsChurchChamber.org

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h

LO CA L

Business News & Notes Solace Outpost Opens in Old Mad Fox Space Solace Outpost has opened in the former Mad Fox Brewing Company space at 444 West Broad Street. Solace Outpost was created out of a partnership between Solace Brewing Co., which operates a brewing operation in Loudoun County, Ian and Eric Hilton, of H2 Collective and several trendy DC hot spots, and Steve Ryan, co-founder of Blackfinn Ameripub, which has multiple locations, including one in Merrifield. Solace Outpost will offer a wide variety of craft beer, pizza, and a game room. For more information, visit www.solacebrewing.com.

Toy Nest Hosts Grand Opening The Toy Nest, which readied to open just as Covid-19 precautions went into place, is hosting a Grand Opening from Friday, June 19 through Thursday, June 25. While parents and kids have been enjoying the toy library concept via pickup and delivery since March, the store is now open under Phase 2 guidelines which include toy selection only (no onsite play,) a maximum of 2 families in the store at a time, and all visitors over the age of 2 must wear masks. Hand sanitizer will be available. The Toy Nest offers pre-loved toys on a rental basis through drop-ins or via memberships. Memberships include toy reservation privileges, unlimited play and borrow visits, a two-week borrowing term, and up to two renewals for most items. Also available are annual memberships which provide additional benefits. The official Grand Opening will include a ribbon cutting along with door prizes and giveaways from local businesses including Bakeshop, Lemon Lane, South Block and others. The Toy Nest is located at 98 N. Washington Street in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.thetoynest.com.

Body Dynamics Offering Virtual Sessions In response to Virginia’s Safer at Home recommendations, Body Dynamics, Inc. is now offering the special rate of $245 for three 1-hour virtual personal training sessions. The virtual session offer a personalized fitness program designed to fit personal needs and goals in the comfort of one’s own home. For more information contact Barbara Benson at bbenson@ bodydynamicsinc.com for more details.

GMU’S Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship Hosting Roundtable The Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship and the Retail Innovation Center of the George Mason School of Business is hosting Rebuilding Local Retail: Operations, Design, and Technology on June 24 from 1:00 to 1:45 pm. Panelists for this virtual roundtable discussion include Peterson Companies’ President for Retail Paul Weinschenk, Streetsense’s Director for Real Estate Mike Smith, and Global Enterprise Marketing’s Senior Director and RETHINK Retail Advisor Ricardo Belmar. For more information, visit www.business.gmu/realestate.com

Beadazzled Closing Permanently Beadazzled has decided not to reopen following its temporary closure due to Covid-19. The independently owned and operated bead store and jewelry making class provider has been located at 444 W. Broad Street since 2012, after moving to Falls Church from Tysons.

OAR Selected as One of Best Nonprofits in DC Area OAR of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church has been selected as one of the best nonprofits in the DC area by the Catalogue for Philanthropy. OAR will be featured in the print edition of The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington for 2020/2021, which will be published later this year, as well as on the Catalogue’s website. Every organization selected for listing is evaluated for excellence by a team of local experts who assess each nonprofit for impact, community need, and financial transparency. Founded in 1974, OAR supports people returning to the community after incarceration, manages an alternative sentencing program for the Arlington County and City of Falls Church courts that allows others to avoid that life-altering experience, and works to achieve race equity in the criminal legal system and society at large. The organization addresses incarceration, the legal system, and all systems “upstream” (calling out the racism that permeates these systems and seeking social justice) and “downstream” (providing services to specific individuals). For more information, visit www.OARonline.org.  Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.

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JUNE 18 - 24, 2020 | PAGE 15

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CLASSI F I E DS Public hearings will be held electronically at www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. Unless the Governor’s state of emergency is lifted, public comments will be accepted only electronically at cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov, until the end of the public hearing, or by voicemail at (703) 248-5014 until 3 p.m. on the day of the public hearing. Council members will attend the meeting through electronic means and members of the public may view the meeting at www. fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings and on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711). CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK

Public hearings will be held electronically at www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. Unless the Governor’s state of emergency is lifted, public comments will be accepted only electronically at cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov, until the end of the public hearing, or by voicemail at (703) 248-5014 until 3 p.m. on the day of the public hearing. Council members will attend the meeting through electronic means and members of the public may view the meeting at www. fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings and on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711).

The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on June 8, 2020. Public hearing, second reading and final Council action is scheduled for Monday, June 22, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard. (TO20-16) ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCES 1995 AND 1996 AS PREVIOUSLY AMENDED BY ORDINANCES 2003, 2004 AND 2005 REGARDING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM FUNDS This budget amendment will appropriate partial use of the CARES funding and FEMA funding for expenditures resulting from COVID-19 pandemic as well as reduce the transfer to the Capital Improvements Program Fund for facilities reinvestment.

On Thursday, June 25th, 2020 at 7:00pm, the Historic Architectural Review Board will hold a virtual meeting pursuant to and in compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Section 2.2-3708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the COVID-19 declared emergency. [313 LINCOLN AVE] The request for variance to extend the back of the house and create a side addition to the home. Pending approval from HARB the application is scheduled to be on the Board of Zoning Appeals agenda in June. Public comment will be accepted via email at cgahres@fallschurchva.gov <mailto:cgahres@fallschurchva.gov> until 8:00 p.m. on May 28th. The link to access the virtual meeting will be available at www.fallschurchva.gov/HARB <http://www.fallschurchva.gov/HARB> .

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Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on May 26, 2020. Public hearings are scheduled for Monday, June 8 and Monday, June 22, 2020, with second reading and final Council action scheduled for Monday, June 22, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard. (TO20-06) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE FY2021-FY2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND REPROGRAMMING OF PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED FUNDS

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Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

20 25

24 28

27 31

34 39

40 46 53

47 55

59 63

62 67

60 64

37 41

32 36

45 51

26 30

38 42

1. Singer at Barack’s 2009 inauguration ceremony 7. Strike callers 11. Scand. land 14. Does crosswords, say 15. Decline 16. Hesitant sounds 17. Comedian Nanjiani who once joked that Microsoft spell check thinks his first name should be “camel” 18. Black-and-white treat 19. “Wayne’s World” catchword 20. Stick-in-the-mud types 22. Actress Ronan who has told people her first name rhymes with “inertia” 24. Dorsal ____ 25. H‰gar’s wife, in the comics 27. Move stealthily 28. Not fooled by 30. Amenities at some hotels 32. 1980s-’90s German leader Helmut 33. Marsh flora 35. IV + IV 37. Usual victim of Bart’s prank calls 38. Actress/singer Barbra who once told Tim Cook to reprogram Siri to change the second “s” in her last name to a soft s 42. 7-Down crew 45. 1922-91 initials 46. Bready bunch? 50. Mull (over) 52. Resell, as concert tickets 55. Bar in a bathroom 56. “Peace out!” 58. Warm welcome?

STRANGE BREW

60. First show to win 50 Emmys, in brief 61. Actor Chiwetel who said, growing up, people asked him what he was “so edgy for” 63. Do a certain hybrid winter sport 65. ____-X 66. Woman who took a “roll in ze hay” in “Young Frankenstein” 68. Actress Rebecca who has said her last name is pronounced “like the lettuce” 69. Works in a museum 70. Hoot 71. Is forbidden to 72. MGM rival of the ‘30s 73. Blues singer James 74. Lines screenwriters didn’t write

Down 1. Requests 2. Nothing out of the ordinary 3. Southern California city 4. Big Super Bowl purchase 5. “____-Ho” (“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” song) 6. Out 7. Space oddity, briefly 8. Wynton who was the first jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize 9. Kind of bargain 10. John B, in a Beach Boys hit 11. Solarium 12. Elite list 13. Costar of Bea, Betty, and Rue 21. Caution in a school zone 23. Rankle 26. Get millions of hits, say

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

JUNE 18 - 24, 2020 | PAGE 17

29. Really binges (on) 31. One-named singer with the 2014 hit “Chandelier” 34. “Rugrats” dad 36. “Monsters, ____” 39. Online feed letters 40. Pricey hors d’oeuvre 41. “____ Kapital” 42. “Popeye” cartoonist 43. 1979 Steve Martin comedy 44. View, as the future 47. “The Barber of Seville” composer 48. Heist of a sort 49. First-aid equipment 51. Mont. neighbor 53. Cut (off) 54. Big ____ (the drug industry) 57. Lit 59. “Greatness is ____ leading towards the unknown”: Charles de Gaulle 62. “Right away, boss!” 64. ____ nitrate 67. Words with discount or disadvantage

Last Thursday’s Solution

T W A I O H S N R O T H D B F F A R U G T E T R Q U O S U R P E E K A N T O N T E S I I N E N S L G E

N A K E D A T T E N T I V E

S P T O E T P O T H K A A S N A T I W E E R S Y I F G S O L I G O P S O

H E D G E O O Z E C H A R M

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

B E A R M A R K E T S

I N S T O R E S N O W

N O S E N S E D E E

I L L D I A I T Z

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

6/21/20

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk. © 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

PAGE 18 | JUNE 18 - 24, 2020

LO CA L

BACK IN THE DAY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Critter Corner

25 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press Falls Church News-Press Vol. XII, No. 13 • JUNE 15, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 16 • June 10, 2010

87 Unsold Homes On Market in City Despite Low %

F.C.’s GMHS Wins 3 State Titles in a Single Weekend

A whopping 87 homes are currently on the selling block in the 2.2-square mile area of the City of Falls Church,, reflecting a trend of remarkably slow home sales in the entire greater Washington, D.C., region, according to realtors here. The stagnation in the home sales market comes despite low interest rates, which bottomed out at midday a week ago Friday.

As 161 George Mason High School seniors prepare to graduate in commencement ceremonies at the historic Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. today, a stunning flood of A-List achievements poured in during the past week, smashing school records and ranking the Falls Church school among the

West Falls Site Continued from Page 1

come before the City Council at its next meeting on July 6, Shields said. Only mild controversy has arisen from the submission so far, being a repositioning of a planned office building in Phase 2 of the project that could cut into the amount of surface parking, including parking scheduled to be utilized by the high school. The change, according to Evan Goldman of EYA, one the three partners chosen to build and fill the project, has been made in an effort to optimize the potential for filling the office building by having it face more directly along Route 7. This is in recognition that the regional market in commercial office spaces is expected to present a real challenge in the coming years with the prospects of an extended economic downturn and an overbuilt market up the road in Tysons. Still, such factors are a considerable way out, with the good news being that there will be plenty of time for the markets to recover by the time West Falls is built out and ready to go. The project of the team of Hoffman and Associates and EYA is the product of a common vision for West Falls as “a vibrant mixed use district anchored by thoughtful retail, open space and community amenities,” according to a statement issued with the submission of the SESP. The project includes 550,000 square feet of residential space, including 400 apartment residences and 127 condominium residences, 225,000 square feet of senior living, 120,000 square feet of retail, including a grocer, up to 400,000 square feet of office space, a 150-room hotel and a half-acre park that can

“creme de la crème” of the nation’s public high schools.

be transformed into almost an acre of open space for public community use. It will be built on the 9.5 acres cleared with the demolition of the current sprawling single-story George Mason High building. That demolition is still on schedule to occur next January as the stylish, uber-modern new multi-story $120 million high school complex, going up right next to it, is slated for completion and occupancy by this December. The West Falls mixed use development promises to be the biggest, by far, in the City of Falls Church (Mill Creek’s Founders Row mixed use project, currently under construction only half a dozen blocks away at the intersection of W. Broad and N. West Street, is half the size at 4.3 acres). Still, even with its large size, West Falls is described in the SESP filing as “the first component of a larger 35-acre planned, neighborhood-focused development of the area between Leesburg Pike (Route 7) and the West Falls Church Metro Station that is intended to add to the culturally-rich area with an active and walkable urban fabric that fosters community, sustainable values and innovative design.” That prospect will unfold as the adjacent property, leased from the City with an option to buy by Virginia Tech (the University of Virginia having withdrawn from its partnership with Virginia Tech at the site in favor of its much larger development prospect in the neighborhood of the Inova Fairfax Hospital), and the 24 acres owned by Metro being the site of the West Falls Church Metro station are sewn together into a seamless mega-development the rival of Merrifield’s Mosaic. Aside from the repositioning the office building on Rt. 7, the other change from earlier versions of the

West Falls project involves a slight redirection of the wide boulevard planned to slice through the center of the project to enable it to hook by way of a signal light into Fairfax County’s Chestnut Street across Rt. 7 from it. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has requested the connection be provided after earlier requesting just the opposite, that they not be aligned. It is believed that the election of a new Providence District supervisor in Fairfax County, Dalia Palchik, has resulted in the new, and imminently reasonable, adjustment. The West Falls SASP submission, in its introductory letter, hails the City of Falls Church as “a truly unique place where the community is knowledgeable, engaged and supportive.” Goldman of EYA said “We are thrilled to be progressing the vision for this transformative project and look forward to working in partnership with the community in the years to come.”

SINCE NORTHERN VIRGINIA ENTERED PHASE 2, the Wright family decided to reopen their dog biscuit station on Seaton Lane. Hugo is happy and can’t wait to see the other neighborhood dogs. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

News-Press

TO LETTERS THE EDITOR Continued from Page 6

stand by our City continuing to name an elementary school after a man who beat and enslaved children almost as young as the very children we drop off at its doors. This particularly disturbing historical evidence prompted me to propose changing the name of TJ to a new name chosen by our Falls Church City community to better reflect our values and new understanding of injustices in the past and even present. Please support this change. Hayley Loftur-Thun Falls Church

Henderson 8th Grader: HS Name Change is Excessive I am a rising eight grader in MEH and I heard about the protests to change the names of Thomas Jefferson Elementary and George Mason high school, and I personally think that these names should stay the same. If we were to change the names of these schools to something else just because they were slave owners, where would we stop. George Washington was a slave owner yet everyone looks past that because no one cares about the negative when it comes to him, because he was the first president and he was the one who led us to victory and freedom all those years ago. I do not think we should focus on that one negative part of what they did, we need to focus on all of the positive things that they did to help this country. George Mason was a great man who really helped Virginia and its Declaration of Rights and he was a great advocate of the colonists that lived there. Why do we focus on the one bad part of someone’s life and use and bend that one part of history to make people change the name of a whole school.Thomas Jefferson was also a great man who greatly helped the country. He was the author of the Declaration of independence and he was the 3rd president of the United states. Again, why do we overlook the good things these men did and focus on the bad things. They were not people who fought to

keep slavery around, I understand the want to change the names of schools who were named after confederate soldiers and generals, but I feel that changing the names of these two schools just because is a little over the top. Jamie F. Falls Church

Use This Chance To Drop Mason’s Name Now; Jefferson Later Imagine, a few years from now...in a world that just might happen.... “So in 2020, when the entire world finally took systemic racism and injustice against black people seriously, what did you do in Falls Church City?” “Oh, well actually, I was on the FCC School Board, and we had an opportunity to change the names of two schools named after slaveholders, George Mason and Thomas Jefferson. But, uh, we didn’t.” “Wait, wasn’t that the year the new high school school opened? You had to order new signs anyway, so it would have been really cost-effective to change that name, right?” “Well, yeah, but we just couldn’t get it done in time. And, George Mason really did make contributions to the founding of our country. We talked about it and given the time and the expense, we felt that he still deserved to be honored by having our school named after him.” “Wait. What contributions?” “Well, yeah. I mean, it’s true he wasn’t important enough for anyone to actually learn about in school. But, I checked Wikipedia — he was involved in writing several passages in the Constitution. (Although he didn’t sign it.) And he owned hundreds of slaves and wrote a few words against slavery. (Although he never actually set any of his slaves free.) But Thomas Jefferson! Everyone knows he is a big deal. You couldn’t possibly remove his name. And so you couldn’t possibly change Mason either.” “OK, wait, so the School Board decided to couple these two issues together, even though they didn’t have to do that? Why not change Mason first and then

LO CA L talk about Jefferson as a related but separate issue? For example, the Washington Cathedral removed some figures from stained glass windows and then, after discussion, kept others. (Although it’s hard to explain Jefferson to one’s kids: “It’s OK honey, in spite of massive worldwide protests about structural racism, your school retained the name of a man who had a relationship with his 15-year-old slave. When you’re a great man, you can do what you want and history will look the other way.”) “Well. Back to Mason. Yeah, we said it had to be all or nothing, so we ended up with nothing.” “OK, so let me make sure I understand this. In one of the most progressive jurisdictions in the country, while worldwide protests were happening daily about structural racism and oppression of black people, you demonstrated your community’s values by continuing to singularly honor a slaveholder in the name of your high school? Wow.” Diane Bartley Falls Church

JUNE 18 – 24, 2020 | PAGE 19

a comb.

Recycle me.

News-Press Should Kickstart School Renaming Process If the City of Falls Church schools are renamed, I suggest a community-wide naming contest sponsored by the News-Press as a first step in the process. There are many views on why name changes for a high school or middle school might be desirable, how about hearing from the citizens of the community and their reasons why a particular one is appropriate? A community-wide naming contest can be constructive, informative and provide residents input and a stake in the community’s future. When the NASA Mars Rover is launched in July, it will carry the name “Perseverance”, the product of the “Name the Rover” essay contest with the winning name suggested by Alexander Mather, a seventh grader from Springfield, Virginia. Renaming educational buildings should be an opportunity for public debate. A contest would accomplish this with an explanation of the renaming and winning entry on permanent display in the schools for everyone to see. Donald Foley Arlington

Jimmie & Mindy Married February 14, 2016

Jimmie was fired from her job as a teacher because of who she loves.

In 31 states in this country, it’s legal to discriminate against LGBT Americans. That means you can be fired from your job, evicted from your home, or even denied medical services because of who you are or who you love. Everyone has the right to marry. Not everyone has basic rights.

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Falls Church News-Press 6-18-2020

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