Falls Church News-Press 7-21-2022

by Nicholas F. Benton

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes Falls Church, Tuesday led a wide bipartisan majority in the House this week to vote for passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, federal legislation to codify marriage equality protections.

The measure passed by a comfortable margin, 267-157, as every Democrat voted for it, and 47 Republicans did, as well. It now faces the prospect of passing the Senate as well, which would have the effect of overriding any future ruling by the Supreme Court in opposition.

The House held the vote in response to Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurrence in Dobbs , the case that overturned Roe v. Wade , in which Thomas urged the Supreme Court to “reconsider” its Obergefell v. Hodges

F.C. Council Mulls Alternative Housing Adds to Work Plan

by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

Mulling changes to the City of Falls Church Work Plan that it may vote on next month, the Falls Church City Council

News-Press Summer Real Estate Guide 2022

The Falls Church News-Press presents its summer real estate guide with tips and tricks on buying a home, the best way to downsize when moving to a smaller place, design trends in home building and more.

See Pages 11 — 22

stumbled at its work session Monday night over the addition of an item promoting housing alternatives, such as accessory dwelling units and “missing middle” options, worried about

opposition that has developed in Arlington and some other nearby jurisdictions. Still, the matter will move ahead in a final Work Plan document that the Council is expected to vote

The Final Installment of Ted White’s Science Fiction Tale

Part four of a science fiction story by News-Press Copy Editor and long-time Falls Church resident Ted White, potently blending dreams, psychology, a probable near-future and the threat of an alien invasion. The story concludes within...

See Page 31

on later this month.

In a related matter, the Council has also begun taking up the alternative housing issue in its discussions on revising the

HARVEY’S, A RESTAURANT THAT OPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR, along with fellow local businesses the Neighborhood Barbershop and Mister Finster’s Tattoo Studio, prepared dishes for a fundraiser in support of the Falls Church

Foundation — visit FCNP.com to find out which business was responsible for the winning dish. (Photo: Michael Butcher Photography)

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Falls Church & Police Investigating Cashing of Fraudulent City Checks

Last week, after being notified of suspicious activity, the City of Falls Church discovered fraudulent checks were cashed using the City’s accounts. The City of Falls Church Police are investigating and other authorities have been notified. The bank will reimburse the City in full after the bank’s internal fraud investigation is complete.

Eight checks totaling more than $300,000 were stolen and “washed” –original payee info was removed, alternate payee info was entered, and the checks were cashed. The checks were mailed through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) box at 300 Park Ave., outside City Hall, and the USPS box at 150 S. Washington St., outside the School Board offices.

City of Falls Church Police are aware of a possible national trend of checks being stolen from blue USPS mailboxes. The Police advise residents and businesses to mail checks and valuables directly through a post office. The closest location in the City is 800 W. Broad St.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the City of Falls Church Police at 703-241-5053 (TTY 711) or police@ fallschurchva.gov.

$22.5

Million inTransport Funds

Awarded to F.C.

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) approved a $22.5 million project funding request from the City on Thursday for transportation improvements on North Washington Street.

The North Washington Street Multimodal Improvements Project includes sidewalk widening, improved intersection geometry, signal improvements, crosswalks, utility undergrounding, lighting, and landscaping, between Great Falls Street and Gresham Place.

This project will reduce congestion by

implementing infrastructure for multiple modes of transportation. It will improve regional transportation connections due to its location near the East Falls Church Metro Station, the Route 29 corridor, the W&OD Trail, and I-66. And, it will help with economic growth, safety, and accessibility.

Design for the project is slated to begin in fiscal year 2026 (July 2025 through June 2026).

New 988 Phone # Set for Suicide, Crisis Prevention Nationally

The new three-digit phone number to call for mental health, substance use, and suicide crises is now available nationwide. Just three easy numbers, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is intended to be an easy-to-remember way for people to connect with help and support during a crisis, any time, 24/7.

Congress designated 988 as the new nationwide calling code for mental health emergencies in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2020.

When someone calls or texts 988, or chats with the Lifeline at 988Lifeline. org, they will be connected to trained counselors who are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network. These counselors are trained to listen, empathize with callers, and provide support and resources as needed.

The current Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will remain in effect for people in emotional distress or suicidal crises, even after the launch of 988 nationwide.

988 is not a replacement for 911. This service is specifically intended to meet America’s growing suicide and mental health-related needs. 988 will make it easier to access the Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline and connect with crisis-related resources.

911 will remain the number to call for dispatching Emergency Medical Services, firefighters, and police as needed.

The Respect for Marriage Act Seeks to Codify Marriage Equality

Continued from Page 1

ruling which established marriage equality protections in all 50 states. The vote this week protects both same-sex and interracial marriages.

Last week, Beyer also joined Democratic majorities in voting for the Women’s Health Protective Act and Ensuring Women’s Rights to Reproductive Freedom Act to counter the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe V. Wade. However, they came with very minimal Republican support.

The vote came days after Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin ducked questions about whether he supports codifying protections for same sex marriage in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Youngkin was asked about his stance by CBS “Face The Nation” Host Robert Costa, and refused to give an answer while claiming, wrongly, that the Virginia Constitution protects marriage equality.

In reality, the Virginia Constitution currently states that “only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth.” That language is currently overridden by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling,

but could come back in force if the Supreme Court overturned the ruling as Justice Thomas recommended.

Beyer said, “It is deeply unfortunate that we still have to debate marriage equality in the year 2022, but once that debate was thrust upon us, House Democrats took swift action to protect Americans’ freedoms. This vote was made necessary by the Supreme Court’s reactionary decision overturning Dobbs in a way that clearly undercut basic privacy rights more generally.”

He added, “Justice Thomas said the quiet part out loud by calling for the court to overturn its landmark ruling in Obergefell, and today the vast majority of House Republicans voted against codifying marriage equality. Even Governor Youngkin has refused to take a stance in defense of this basic right which is overwhelmingly popular in Virginia. It is an undeniable fact that opposition to marriage equality remains widespread among Republicans, who are wildly out of touch with the views of the American people on this issue. I look forward to additional votes to protect other basic freedoms threatened by an out-of-control right wing Court majority.”

The Respect for Marriage Act

defunct and discriminatory statute excluding same-sex couples from marriage under federal law. This legislation will also codify new protections ensuring that no married couple can be denied protections and benefits under federal law based on sex, race, ethnicity or national origin. Specifically, it would enshrine

a Democratic fundraiser last Sunday in

eral government to fully recognize any marriage considered valid in the state where it was performed –providing same-sex and interracial couples additional certainty that they will continue to receive equal treatment under federal law.

It would also repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. While the Supreme Court has effectively

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voided the Defense of Marriage Act, this unconstitutional and discriminatory federal law still remains on the books. The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal this statute once and for all.

It would bar discrimination by state officials. The legislation prohibits state officials from denying recognition of an out-of-state marriage on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES JAMIE RASKIN and Don Beyer at

‘Missing Middle Homes’ a Heated Topic Among Area Residents

zoning code for Transitional Zones to allow for alternatives to the single family homes in those narrow-circumscribed areas.

Concerns were raised at the Council work session this week, however, that pushing for a Citywide allowance for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), as Vice Mayor Letty Hardi urged her colleagues to add to the Work Plan Monday, would run afoul of the kind of resistance that has arisen in Arlington and in Montgomery County, Maryland, where citizens have mobilized to oppose them.

For example, at a June 18 meeting of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors, large contingents of citizens on both sides of the issue packed the Council chambers, and no final decisions are expected to be made for a considerable amount of time.

Among the opponents to the idea were proponents of the preservation of tree canopies, who argued that permitting greater housing densities in the residential neighborhoods would represent a threat. On the other hand, proponents of housing alternatives that would allow smaller-

scale multifamily housing in neighborhoods currently zoned only for single-family homes argued having more housing alternatives would “give more people the choice to live in Arlington” and as such is “popular among renters, people of color, and younger generations.”

Wells Harrell stated, “We see 170 homes torn down every single year in Arlington, shouldn’t we choose to let some of those homes be replaced with missing middle homes that will add more variety, increase more capacity and cost less than the big expensive mansions that would go up instead?”

And according to a two-part study by McGuire Woods consulting issued recently, entitled, “Zoning and Segregation in Virginia,” “neighborhoods in the commonwealth remain racially and economically segregated a half-century after the Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibited racial discriminiation,” and one of the primary reasons the segregation continues today is because “zoning laws and policies perpetuate the separation of housing by wealth and income.”

Remedying the segregation “requires significant policy changes at the local and state levels, and

laws and policies must be altered to increase housing opportunities for all Virginians and remove barriers for less-wealthy households to live in or near more wealthy communities…with the goal to achieve housing equality by removing legal barriers that continue the economic and racial segregation of communities.”

While the language for the Falls Church Work Plan update is being hammered out at City Hall for inclusion in the plan the Council will vote on next month, a policy will need to encompass the interrelated issues of affordable and diverse housing, tree canopy and storm water issues,” Hardi stated. The City’s planning chief Jim Snyder said adding such a task to the Work Plan would require an increase in the staffing of his department.

But it would be in concert with the efforts of the City’s Housing and Human Services Department to win the Council OK for a new deal with Wesley Housing that would hand over the operation of the City’s existing affordable housing stock to that entity for management in the context of the creation of a “Acquisition Strike Fund” for the preservation and new construction of units for which

persons with incomes at 60 percent of the average median income could afford.

The terms of the deal were discussed at the Council work session this week and should be signed off next month to utilize $3.75 million

in grant money gifted to the City and other regional jurisdictions by Amazon.

The plan will give Wesley Homes ownership and operational control of the Virginia Village quadruplexes the City has acquired on S. Maple Street.

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COMMENT

Commentary

Inflation

Has

Unmasked the Depths of Our Affordability Crisis

Ezra Klein

NEW YORK TIMES

June’s just-released inflation data is startling. At 9.1 percent it’s the highest year-on-year rate we’ve seen since 1981.

Maybe it’s the highest we will see. Oil and other commodity prices are falling, real wage growth has turned negative, and retail inventories are thickening. None of that is fertile soil for continued inflation. If the only prices problem we had was the one that the past year of inflation reports tracked, I’d think the light was beginning to glint into the tunnel.

But it’s not. In February 2020, The Atlantic published a piece on the affordability crisis that was souring a seemingly strong economy. “In one of the best decades the American economy has ever recorded, families were bled dry by landlords, hospital administrators, university bursars and child-care centers,” Annie Lowrey wrote. “For millions, a roaring economy felt precarious or downright terrible.” Lowrey’s framing has stuck in my mind over the last couple years. I don’t think you can understand the broader price crisis without it. (I should mention here that Lowrey and I are married, but don’t hold that against her — or her work!)

The numbers are startling. The median home price in 1950 was 2.2 times the average annual income; by 2020, it was six times average annual income. Child care costs grew by about 2,000 percent — yes, you read that right — between 1972 and 2007. Family premiums for employerbased health insurance jumped by 47 percent between 2011 and 2021, and deductibles and out-of-pocket costs shot up by almost 70 percent. The average price for brand-name drugs on Medicare Part D rose by 236 percent between 2009 and 2018. Between 1980 and 2018, the average cost of an undergraduate education rose by 169 percent. I could keep going.

We papered over the affordability crisis with low prices for consumer goods, soaring asset values that kept richer Americans happy, subsidies for some Americans at certain times and mountains of debt: housing debt and student-loan debt and medical debt that kept the working class semi-afloat. But none of this ad-

dressed the core problem. For far too long, the prices of the things we need most have been growing far faster than inflation.

And so a weird economy emerged, in which a secure, middleclass lifestyle receded for many, but the material trappings of middleclass success became affordable to most. In the 1960s, it was possible to attend a four-year college debt-free but impossible to purchase a flatscreen television. By the 2020s, the reality was close to the reverse.

The affordability crisis makes some sense of the last few decades of our economic debates: a crisis of housing debt, a huge new program to subsidize health insurance costs, debates about making college free and forgiving student loans, proposal after proposal for the government to pay for child care and preschool, a bubble in crypto that attracted so many investors in part because it seemed like an elevator into wealth that anyone could ride.

But now asset prices are plummeting. The cost of loans is rising. The price of consumer goods and the energy needed to make and access them has shot up. Congress is getting stingier. The high prices remain, but the policies and palliatives we used to obscure them are crumbling. (Thankfully, the Affordable Care Act remains, and I shudder to think how much worse these years would be in its absence.)

There’s a famous video in which you’re told to keep your eye on a basketball being passed around, and, as you do, you miss an actor in a gorilla suit ambling across the scene. But once you’ve seen the gorilla, you never miss it again. Politics works like that, too. It’s not just about the problems we have. It’s about the problems we learn to see.

The prices problem has been lurking for years, but it’s never been the core of our politics. Now it is. It’s on gas station signs and at the supermarket. It’s in rental contracts and tuition checks. Even if headline inflation falls, I don’t think we’re going to unsee the high price of a middleclass life anytime soon. The political party that dominates this next era will be the one that shares the public’s fury and puts prices at the center of its agenda.

There are some early glimmers of what that might look like. The New Democrat Coalition, which

Continued on Page 7

Our Man in Arlington

Missing from the messy machinations over missing middle housing is a measure of the majority. How many Arlingtonians favor the proposal to “upzone” to allow less-expensive housing types countywide?

Clues surfaced at the July 12 county board work session as more individuals and organizations weighed in on either side.

Tensions over the controversy showed in a few interruptions from the small live audience—about 100 watched online—and signs displayed contrasting slogans “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and “No 8-Plexes Next to Single-Family Homes.”

The Arlington Tree Action Group warned that standards for nearly 60 percent of our tree canopy would be slashed in half. “Implementation of only 20 percent of the planned rezoning would remove 584 acres of tree canopy.” Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future continued opposing greater density, citing stretched resources and interpreting the issue’s heightened visibility as rising opposition. The Joint Facilities Advisory Commission called for a narrower pilot project.

Habitat for Humanity just came out in favor, joining the Sierra Club, Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, Chamber of Commerce, NAACP and the network MissingMiddle.net.

Sensing controversy, Paul Holland, chair of Plan Langston Boulevard Forum, told me “a missing middle layer previously included in the land use scenarios for Plan Langston Boulevard was removed last fall and

included in the countywide missing middle process.”

At the session, Chair Katie Cristol invoked an “imperative to explore change” after a “90year evolution of land-use policy.” She hailed the staff’s “massive research project and compendium of data.” The public engagement was welcomed by board member Christian Dorsey as “effective and unprecedented”: 150,000 multilingual post cards sent, QR coded e-newsletters, walking tours in six neighborhoods, a virtual Q&A and nine “pop -up” approaches to passersby at locations like Bluemont Park, Crystal City MegaMart and Westover Library.

Thousands of comments arrived, plus statements from nearly all civic associations, noted Principal Planner Matt Ladd. “They’re generally more negative than positive.”

But there’s a crucial caveat. Maps show the vast majority of single-family neighborhoods (and trees) lie in North Arlington. Of some 3,200 messages to the board: 70 percent came from single-family homes, 54 percent of them whites and only 3 percent blacks (31 percent wouldn’t specify race).

The clincher: When asked whether certain multi-family types should remain illegal, 78 percent from singlefamily homes agreed. But among renters, 70 percent want those new options.

Board members stressed that their equity agenda prompts continued outreach to nonparticipants.

Several expressed “discomfort” with proposed 8-unit buildings “not sensitive to existing neighborhood context,” as Ladd put it. And expect continued review of the proposed halfspace per dwelling parking requirement (a complex question that varies

by street).

A suggestion that allowances for multiplexes be targeted—such as areas near transit—prompted Takis Karantonis to argue this would leave North Arlington as exempt as it is now.

Before deciding this December, the board plans more citizen-to-citizen discussion and specifics for developers, such as a “pattern book” of sample housing types.

Cristol, who will not seek reelection in 2023, told me it’s tough to determine a majority view amidst polarization. “Single-family folks overwhelmingly don’t want it, but the majority of Arlingtonians are renters.”

Why are duplexes perceived by some as threatening? Cristol finds it perplexing: “I live near lots of duplexes, and they’re completely consistent with leafy neighborhoods where neighbors know each other and public amenities are kept up.” **

After years of lobbying by descendants of Arlington’s once-enslaved Syphax family, Rep. Don Beyer and Sen. Tim Kaine on July 14 introduced the latest effort at de-Confederization.

Their bill would rename Arlington House, removing the 1972 label “Robert L. Lee Memorial” and make the just-renovated National Park Service property the “Arlington House National Historic Site.”

Since it was designed in 1802 in the vision of George Washington Parke Custis (step-grandson of our first president), it has been called Mount Washington (briefly), Arlington House, the Custis-Lee Mansion and the Lee Mansion. Lee, however, as Custis’s son-in-law, inhabited the place for only a fraction of the 55 years Custis lived there.

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Team Earthling

If ever the notion of “neighbor” were to be stretched, now is the time. The deployment and now operational success of the Webb Space Telescope (WST), sending by far the clearest images from by far the deepest (and most ancient) realms of the universe, is having an almost religious consequence for millions. We are now seeing the most fully arrayed portrait of our true parent(s).

All that we are seeing is not out there, but for the thoughtful person, also in here. This is the universe that has given birth to us, whose DNA, if you will, permeates us through and through. We human beings on Planet Earth are part of this, not separate observers. Also in this first week of the WST’s initial images, but apparently unrelated to it, scientists at MIT have detected highly unusual, regularly patterned radio signals emanating from a galaxy billions of light years away.

No official scientist is ready yet to say these could be signals from an intelligent life source, but naturally it is one of the first things that crosses the minds of average citizens. Boy, do we want to know!

Yet, what would be the consequence of finding out for sure? Some skeptics would say we can’t know conclusively until some alien creature comes up to us and knocks on our forehead. Others, however, are already convinced that aliens from another world are already among us. Indeed, in the event this radio signal is a sign of intelligent life out there (in here), then it would have been sent billions of years ago and we can’t even imagine what such an intelligent source would be up to by now. On the other hand, there are the prospects of wormholes and the bending of the time-space continuum to take into account, and this pesky phenomenon known as “entanglement theory” which Einstein called “downright spooky” because it apparently involves veritable “action at a distance” for elements of the cosmos that are somehow paired or otherwise connected.

Whatever we find out going forward, it may involve things human brains simply can’t understand. But at the least, we need to affirm our role in all this, and if ever the time was right to broaden our appreciation of our neighbors, this would it. Our primary allegiance needs to be to a “neighborhood association” that is truly global for this, our planet. Implications are profound for the execution of so-called foreign policy initiatives and climate change mitigation efforts.

We need to see ourselves now as “Team Earthling” working to the common purpose of enhancing our capacity to understand our surroundings and to alter them for a general good, which must involve the proliferation of human minds with our unique (if not exclusive) capacity for self-reflection and creative thought.

The operation of our minds is clearly the most significant part of what the universe has established as the precondition for our consciousness, after all.

Hero of Jan. 6 Hearings, Jamie Raskin Rallies N. Va. Democrats

blockbuster.

Rankin, who led the Congressional effort in the second impeachment of Trump that led to a 57-43 Senate vote to convict in January 2021, is one of the highest profile members of the Special Committee now.

the program by U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr. of Falls Church, who introduced Raskin as a personal friend who is a “unique combination of intellect and heart.”

activists Sunday night “for showing all America how you turn a red state blue.”

U.S. Congressman Jamie Raskin, now a national star as a principal member of the Select Committee

Investigating the January 6 Attack on the Capitol, delivered a riproaring speech to an energized room full of Democratic activists in McLean, Virginia, Sunday night on the importance of this fall’s midterm elections in the fight to preserve democracy in the U.S. Raskin will return to his role on the committee at its next hearing tonight in prime time. That hearing, the eighth in the series so far, will focus on the activities of President Trump on the day of the attack, and is sizing up to be a true

Editor’s Essay Commentary

He ventured across the Potomac to deliver his remarks Sunday to a partisan crowd of activist Democrats in the first large public event of its type since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2020.

The enthusiasm exhibited at the event, including a rousing and sustained standing ovation at the conclusion of Raskin’s barnburner speech, signals that Democrats are fired up to take on the midterm elections this fall. Fairfax County, at over a million residents directly across the Potomac from Washington, D.C., is famous for spearheading the conversion of formerly “red” to “blue” jurisdictions, nationally, often tipping the balance in key Virginia state election outcomes.

Raskin was accompanied on

Beyer focused on the need to return to Congress all three Virginia women whose election in 2020 created the House majority that is now threatened, but with success can be returned to end the “racist, anti-democratic filibuster” in the “fight to save democracy.”

Beyer was followed by Rep. Gerry Connelly, who noted that only a few months ago prior to the Supreme Court ruling ending Roe Vs. Wade, Republicans were 9 percent up in the polls for this fall’s elections, but since then, the Democrats have soared to take a 2 percentage point lead.

“The whole country is counting on us Democrats to make sure what was done to reproductive rights doesn’t happen again,” he said.

Raskin, who has inlaws attending schools in Northern Virginia including Marshall and Madison High Schools, praised the Fairfax

As a law professor at American University, he cited the basics of the fight to establish the U.S. and its Constitution against royalists and theocracy advocates. He cited one of his favorites, Thomas Paine, who mobilized the effort for democracy as “a cause of all mankind.” It is a fight today against forces of tyranny from Moscow to Mar-a-Lago to defend democracy and human rights, he said.

As for the Second Amendment, he quipped, “we do not call for it to be repealed, so much as for its proponents to actually read what it says.”

The Constitution being the “motor of democracy,” it has been altered by amendments more than a half-dozen times to expand and clarify the notion of “government of, by and for the people” that rules “with the consent of the governed,” he said.

This is what is now under attack in the U.S. and in the world, and notwithstanding the

best efforts of U.S. Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinsinger, the two Republicans on the Select committee, there is now, he said, “Only one party left” fighting for these values. “The Democratic Party is now the sole party of democracy.”

It is now, he said, the ongoing fight for the maintenance and growth of democracy (he cited John Dewey who argued that “the only cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy”) is pitted against the nihilism of its opponents.

He concluded his remarks by quoting Thomas Paine in his pamphlet urging on the fight for democracy in 1776. “These are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

Inflation Has Unmasked The Depths of Our Affordability Crisis

is made up of 99 moderate-ish House Democrats, recently released a package of policy proposals meant to address inflation. But much of it is aimed at the affordability crisis that predates the rise in inflation. It includes legislation that would use federal transportation dollars to push cities and states to make it easier to build housing, that would ease worker shortages by raising legal immigration and that would cap insulin costs and allow Medicare to negotiate more drug prices.

If liberals look, they’ll find no end of ideas for bringing down prices across the economy. “I’ve been pulling my hair out about this stuff for years,” said Dean Baker, a founder of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research. “We can’t just accept markets as structured and then use tax and subsidy policy to make it less bad. A real big

problem with progressives is we treat the market problems as givens rather than restructure those markets.”

Baker’s long-running argument is that the division between market and government is now, and always has been, false. “The idea of a free market is nonsense,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of fun with libertarians who say they want the government out of markets. And I say, ‘Oh, you don’t want to have corporations anymore?’ Those are legal entities.”

I’ve long liked Baker’s arguments for two reasons. First, they apply basic economic principles fairly, which is rarely true in politics. He’s relentless about deploying the arguments that are often used against government intervention on behalf of the poor to criticize ongoing interventions on behalf of the rich. Second, they slice through the ideological morass of markets versus governments to ask

the more fundamental question: Who are our markets structured to serve?

Follow analyses like that and you’ll find an array of bad actors, cutting across partisan and professional lines. Housing is so hard to build in dense cities in large part because governments have made it hard to build. Those governments are disproportionately run by Democrats. “Blue places have chosen to make their housing supply inelastic — to use econ speak — and red places, by and large, have allowed housing markets to continue functioning and for supply to respond when there’s an increase in demand,” said Jenny Schuetz, author of “Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housing Systems.”

But drug prices are high because Republicans support expansive patent protections but won’t let the government use its purchasing power to bargain down prices, which is how vir-

tually every other rich nation holds down costs. We’re granting monopolies on one end and refusing to use purchasing power on the other. The Warp Speed program for vaccine development was an example of how it could be done otherwise: The government made itself the buyer for vaccines and then distributed them freely. And what about public competition for off-patent products? California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, just announced the state has put aside $100 million to begin making its own low-cost insulin. If it works, it could become a national model.

Inflation crises in the United States tend to be driven, or badly worsened, by our exposure to petrostates. That’s true for the OPEC embargo of the ’70s and what the Biden administration likes to call “the Putin price hike” of 2022. As Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, noted, the spike in fuel

prices accounted for more than half of June’s inflation. That will probably ease. But a world where the bulk of America’s power was generated by wind and solar and nuclear and geothermal is a world where we’d be far less reliant on the fluctuations of the global energy market. (And while it seems almost ridiculous to have to say this, a world of unchecked climate crisis won’t be good for prices, either; there are no end of good reasons to decarbonize.)

For decades now, we’ve been in a politics of spending. The questions were about how much to spend and what to spend on. We’re moving into a politics that looks superficially similar but is fundamentally different: a politics of prices. How much to spend, and where to direct that spending, still matters. But it’ll be subordinate to a larger goal: bringing down prices across the economy. And that’ll be the work of years, perhaps decades.

Nicholas F. Benton

A Penny for Your Thoughts News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

The long-awaited re-opening of the Hidden Oaks Nature Center was celebrated last Saturday with speeches, a ribbon-cutting, bubbles big enough to envelop a small child, crows, critters and even a barbershop quartet!

It was a beautiful morning to be in the woods and children especially enjoyed the activities at Nature Playce, a special area where kids can play in the water, dig in the dirt and examine the occasional bug, beetle or spider in the wild. A new feature of Nature Playce is the shiny chrome water pump, positioned above a small flagstone “pond,” just deep enough for children to wade and stomp and splash in.

The pump is designed with no pinch points so little fingers are safe. Water in the “pond” seeps out every night, alleviating any concerns about mosquitos.

A new cedar “worm fence” defines the Nature Playce area. Worm fences also are known as Virginia rail fences and consist of split rails interlaced without supporting posts. Easy to construct and maintain, the Nature Playce worm fence was an Eagle Scout project by Pranav Kuruba.

Another Eagle project, by Erik Eidsmoe, highlights animal tracks along the Old Oak Trail. Of special interest were the many critter tracks etched into the new concrete sidewalk around the expanded center.

Combined with the existing “bird wall” on the north side of the building, the critter tracks make for an interesting scavenger hunt for kids of all ages.

A larger pond between the original building and Nature Playce was renovated and revegetated with rushes and pond plants for frogs and other water critters, but you can’t play in that pond. A large picture window in the original building overlooks the pond so you can enjoy the view even in inclement (for humans, maybe not for the frogs!) weather.

Removal of some invasives and newly refurbished trails and plantings also were projects by Eagle Scouts.

Hidden Oaks Nature Center opened in 1969. Just minutes from the Beltway, it was popular from its inception and the latest addition of another classroom/meeting space, a kitchen area,

interpretive space and ADA accessible restrooms, will allow staff to present more programming to more audiences.

Things that didn’t change are the original building area with its popular story time tree and snake and lizard habitats and the real tree on the west side of the building that was carved by a local chainsaw artist, Andrew Mallon, into lots of full-size wildlife — a raccoon, an owl, a bunny or two, foxes, squirrels and a bear cub.

The parking lot also didn’t change. A limited number of spaces are available in the circular drive, but visitors on Saturday parked at the adjacent Annandale Community Park and took the trails for a short stroll to the center.

The Friends of Hidden Oaks Nature Center (FOHONC) provides additional support for the Nature Center — when a veteran tulip poplar was struck by lightning several years ago, they were instrumental in saving the dead trunk for the carved critter art mentioned above. However, FOHONC is responsible for saving more than that tree; they essentially saved Hidden Oaks when it was threatened with closure via budget cuts in the early 2000s.

Marshaling neighbors and community members who valued this little urban gem, FOHONC forcefully, and successfully, lobbied both the Board of Supervisors and the Park Authority to remove Hidden Oaks from the closure list. Twenty years later, FOHONC’s advocacy was well placed.

Hidden Oaks is bigger and better than ever. It serves an incredibly diverse population that is more than twice the size it was in 1969, but the basic elements are the same — respect and appreciation for the natural world and our role in it.

The tree canopy has aged and regenerated, still minutes from the Beltway, serving new generations of children and their families, just as it did more than 50 years ago. Hidden Oaks Nature Center is located at 7701 Royce Street in Annandale, near Hummer Road.

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

City of Falls Church CRIME REPORT

Week of July 11 — July 17, 2022

Fraud, W Broad St, July 11, 4:47 PM, an incident of fraud was reported.

Fraud, Park Ave, July 13,

Delegate Marcus Simon’s Richmond Report

Last week, Governor Youngkin hit the six-month anniversary of his inauguration, completing 1/8 of his term. But who’s counting? Fortunately, he can’t be re-elected under Virginia’s constitution. While still in Special Session, the Virginia General Assembly finally completed its work last month, adopting a 2-year budget with two weeks before the start of the new fiscal year July 1st. Part of the struggle can be attributed to the difficulties we encountered while working with a rookie Governor with no political experience who staffed his inner circle with political campaign types and seems more interested in looking forward to his next race for some higher office than learning how to do the job he has now. Perhaps I’m being unfair. I could be bitter that in my ninth session in the House of Delegates, Governor Youngkin was responsible for my first vetoed bill, a charter change bill requested by the City of Falls Church. That would be petty. Not as petty as the Governor deciding to veto all of State Senator Adam Ebbin’s bills that were identical to others patroned by House members which he gleefully signed into law. This was all in retaliation for Ebbin chairing the Senate Committee that refused to confirm his appointment of Trump’s EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler as Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources.

in the process and his alienating his negotiating partners in the Senate with his petty vetoes of non-controversial legislation. After months of being unable to fill key government positions (and even posting some appointed positions online), he’s appointed a confederate sympathizer to a historical board and climate change deniers to environmental posts. Maybe he got better as he immersed himself in the job, learning from his mistakes?

10:30 AM, an incident of fraud was reported

Counterfeiting, W Broad St, July 13, 7:43 PM, unknown suspects used counterfeit bills to secure services. Suspects described as four young males driving a white 2004 Ford SUV

with Maryland tags.

Fraud, W Broad St, July 14, 9:52 AM, an incident of fraud was reported.

Drunk in Public, N Roosevelt St, July 16, 9:18 AM, a black male, 30, of Silver Spring, MD, was arrested for Drunk in Public.

My concerns with the Governor’s performance are based on his poor policy decisions. Among his first executive orders was the creation of a snitch line soliciting reports of teachers broaching “inherently divisive topics,” attempting to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and renaming the cabinet level Equity and Inclusion job to the Ambassador of the Unborn. In his first State of the Commonwealth address, he challenged us to pass legislation creating a stadium authority to lure Washington’s NFL franchise to Virginia with tax incentives, in spite of ample evidence of the toxic environment of sexual harassment that’s existed there and the owner’s refusal to release the results of the workplace misconduct investigation. As much as I disagree with the Governor on major policy issues, I suppose I should be happy that he’s also really, really bad at his job. The General Assembly was hampered in completing the budget by a combination of his meddling

In the wake of the decision overturning Roe vs. Wade, the Governor told a gathering of Family Foundation Members he would sign the most restrictive legislation that they could get to his desk. Regarding concerns that the logic used to overturn Roe vs. Wade might lead to reversal of decisions legalizing same-sex marriage, the Governor appeared on “Face the Nation,” falsely asserting that state law protects same-sex marriage. In fact, Virginia’s constitution expressly does the opposite, containing what would effectively become a trigger automatically ending same-sex marriage in Virginia if the Supreme Court overturns the Obergefell decision. He sold himself as a successful business guy. He was a Co-CEO, whatever that means. On his watch, Virginia dropped to #3 in the country for doing business after previously holding the #1 spot for two years in a row under Democratic leadership.

300 state employees resigned over an ill-advised telework policy, the impact of which has yet to be fully realized, but you can be sure that public services and programs will be affected. Youngkin’s actions could almost be comical except they have real consequences. He’d rather focus on getting the support of Republicans in the midwest instead of fixing the ongoing issues at the Virginia Employment Commission. Don’t worry, he’ll keep closing Capitol Square when chalk drawings are found on the sidewalk. And make sure that any lawful protests will have more than its fair share of overly-armed police. Instead of bringing us together, he’s sowing seeds of division and mistrust while the Virginia GOP encourages and enables this behavior. Youngkin just doesn’t get it.

 Delegate Simon represents the 53rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates. He may be emailed at DelMSimon@house.virginia.gov

Collaborative Artwork at Falls Church Arts

BY MARK DREISONSTOK FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

A unique exhibition of artworks, “Collab: Conversations in Art,” is on display at the Falls Church Art Gallery. A perfect painting to emphasize the show’s theme of collaborations of two artists creating a single artwork can be found in “Have You Ever Noticed the Sunlight: The Barn at Cherry Hill.” The right half of this canvas (executed by Lisa Green in oil) depicts a farmhouse painted in a somewhat Impressionist style with a blurred landscape and a tree overhead. Traditional color schemes are used to portray a blue sky, a brown roof and a wooden shed door.

The left side, however, by Maureen Minard in acrylic, is more modernistic in mode, portraying the remainder of the house in raw, vibrant colors with transparent walls through which are seen a yellow lamp and various shapes we presume to be furniture.

This left side of the painting also shows exaggerated and visible brushstrokes, drippings of paint on the house roof and shadowless forms such as the tree on the far left.

One of the exhibition’s most interesting works is “Abundance:

Spring,” by Ruth Lozner and Kenzie Raulin, which depicts a flaring vegetable with many sprouting multicolored flowers, springing out in all directions above ground. Literally popping out of the painting are additional fanned-out vegetables shaped like books.

Taking a closer look at the painting, musical notes on a staff can be seen almost translucent against the leaves. Underneath are scrambled letters which suggest viewers might do well to “unscramble” and put together their own meanings in the painting.

In “Look in Her Eyes” by Matthew Malone and Kurtis Ceppetelli, a female figure is depicted in deep thought as she stares to the right side of the painting with her left hand over her lip.

A consistent color palette is used with vibrant shades of blue, red and green. Undefined shapes are hinted at behind the blue paint.

At the left side of the girl, blue paint is seen dripping over red neon letters which spell out something undefined. Perhaps here is a lost thought or secret which lurks behind the blue drops of paint known only to the person within the portrait.

The watercolor medium is generously represented in paintings by Bob Wentworth and Rajendra KC in “Blue Door and Chair” and “Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC,” the latter calling to mind the days of horse-drawn vehicles.

Other paintings in the exhibition include a Surrealist work by Samantha Van Heest and Nicole Ziesing, “Brand New!,” which presents three floating mattresses.

A maple syrup bottle can be seen emptying syrup onto these three mattresses. Although the objects appear to be floating lightly in the image, there is at the same time a sense of gravity with the downpour of the maple syrup.

“Flying” by Suzanne McIntire and Shannon Turkewitz depicts a montage in photography of an airplane flying above a boy looking up at the plane. Viewers might identify with the boy’s childlike wonder of looking up at the plane in amazement, perhaps thinking about his future summer travels, as he swings his right arm outwards as if waving the audience to come and look with him.

Here we should mention one aspect which makes this exhibition

highly relatable for visitors to the Falls Church Art Gallery in July and August, namely: the many summer-themed paintings celebrating the season in which this exhibition finds itself. An example is Ruth Lozner and Kenzie Raulin’s “Abundance: Summer,” which features garden-like plants, water, and books, suggesting summer activities of gardening, water sports, and reading. The summer theme is taken up again in the Expressionist “Summer Brew I,” in which Bob Tiemann and Rebecca Pelzer use acrylic and paint stick to come up with, according to the gallery card, “independent but compatible visions emphasizing line and color.” Suzanne McIntire and Shannon Turkewitz have colored a photograph of two carnival-goers

who have an amusement park ride “All to Themselves.” Then there is the ambiguous “Summer Noir,” in which Phil Rowe depicts monochrome faces in a crowd contrasting with Millie Jackson Rowe’s colorful painting of an abstract landscape. There are more paintings to ponder, and enjoy than can possibly be discussed here. Visitors to the Falls Church Arts Gallery should explore for themselves the two invigorating themes of artistic collaboration and perspectives on summer in the “Collab: Conversations in Art” gallery show which runs through August 14. The Gallery is at 700-B W. Broad St, Falls Church. Hours are Tuesday — Friday, 11 a.m. — 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. — 4 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. — 4 p.m.

* Comforting home like setting

* 2 years to 5 years

* Private School K-6th at same location

* Small classroom size and individual attention

* Park like setting - spacious playground

* Extracurricular classes in Computers, Spanish, and Music

* Indoor gym area and Specialized Physical Education Teacher

* Experienced and friendly staff

* Hot catered lunches and snacks

* Manners and strong social skills are developed in everyday interactions

* Independence encouraged and fostered with focus on building self-esteem

* Centrally located - minutes from downtown and major highways

“HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THE SUNLIGHT” by Maureen Minard and Lisa Green, spotlighting the barn at Cherry Hill. (P���� ��������:M������ B����)

• Small class sizes - allows one-on-one instruction with the teacher

• Follows and exceeds Fairfax County Curriculum

• Standardized testing twice a year to evaluate school ability and achievement; no SOL’s

• Integration of reading, writing, oral language, phonics science, social studies, spelling and math

• Extracurricular classes in Computers, Music, Gym

• Manners and strong social skills are developed in everyday interactions

• On-Site gym for indoor exercise

• Daily indoor/outdoor free play

• Spacious Playground

• Daily interactions with your child’s teacher

• Invention Convention, Science Fairs, Fall Festival

• Children are able to excel at their own pace

• Hot catered lunches and snacks provided

• Variety of Educational Field Trips throughout the year

• Summer/Holiday Camps

• Centrally located - minutes from downtown and major highways

(Photo: Sue Johnson)

(Photo: Sue Johnson)

Tips and Tricks: Advice from Local Realtors

by Kylee

Looking to buy or sell your home? These local realtors have the answers to your questions about the current marketplace and how you can succeed in buying or selling your home!

Ken Trotter is the CEO and principal realtor with the Silver Line Group. Going on his 10th year as a real estate agent, Trotter mainly focuses on buying and selling homes in the Falls Church and Arlington areas. For Trotter, he said he doesn’t focus on the volume of homes he helps buy and sell, but rather the “quality of service” for each individual family that he’s worked with.

Trotter said he views himself as a “fiduciary” by empowering his clients to make the “right decisions for themselves,” which includes “arming them with the information they need to find the right home for them and make a move when they’re ready.” As for helping buyers with a specific price range, Trotter first starts by trying to identify what their “goals and objectives” are because “every individual family’s situa-

tion is unique and one home does not meet everybody’s needs.”

His tip for helping a buyer find their “dream home” is to begin with a personalized property search, which “maps” their hopes and dreams to the active available market inventory, followed by making sure the buyer has their “financing in place.”

Finally, Trotter said he helps buyers understand the market conditions, whether it be an “aggressive seller’s market” or a “buyers market.” For helping sellers, Trotter and his team “really work with them to strategically prepare their home for a market,” which includes a “comprehensive review of the home” from the outside to the inside and then working to “optimally position the house for the market with an excellent online marketing package.”

Kathy Pippin is the owner/ CEO of Kathy Pippin Properties, as well as an agent for “close to 12 years.” Mainly focusing on the buying and selling of homes “pretty much everywhere in Fairfax County,” Pippin said helping buyers find homes in the Falls Church area is “super easy” due to it being “walkable to res-

taurants and shops, great schools and fantastic neighborhoods.”

When Pippin is helping buyers find a home, she stated that the first meeting she has with a buyer is “really a discovery meeting” and understanding what their vision is based on their likes/dislikes and budget can “help guide them and stay on track.” For buyers to “win in this market,” the first meeting between a buyer and realtor is “essential” as it “really lays out the foundation of how successful they are going to be.” As for sellers, Pippin said sellers must make sure “their pricing is correct” and work with “somebody who’s knowledgeable.” Sellers should also ask realtors an important question: “What are they doing to market?”

Due to her “love of education,” Pippin said she wants to make sure the first meeting with a buyer or seller is a session that “will answer a lot of questions” and to educate potential clients about “possible strategies and the pros/cons of those different strategies.” Kathy Pippin Properties also hosts homebuyer and seller seminars to “educate”

and go through the “A to Z of homebuying,” which allows them to talk to experienced realtors “three to six months” before the time they want to sell their home.

Casey Margenau is the owner of Casey Margenau Fine Homes & Estates and specializes in single family homes. Having been an agent for 33 years, Margenau said “when you’ve been in the business as long as [he] has been, you kind of get experience” with helping buyers “save money and escape pitfalls.”

Margenau not only “helps buyers negotiate the transaction”

from selling to buying, but also advises them “to think beyond just the transaction” and to help people “make decisions that are good for the long term, not justfor their immediate needs.”

For his tips and tricks for buyers and sellers alike, Margenau said it’s “very important” to select a real estate agent that has had experience for over “seven years.” He also stated buyers and sellers need to make sure that when listing a home, “your agent isn’t going on vacation [that] week.”

Continued on Page 22

KEN TROTTER, CEO and principal realtor of Silver Line Group, speaks with a client. (Photos: Courtesy of Ken Trotter)

Toland Falls Church News-Press

KELLY MILLSPAUGH THOMPSON REALTOR, DESIGNER + SHOPKEEPER FALLS CHURCH CITY NATIVE

• 55 and older community

• One and two bedroom homes

• 5-24 month leases

• High-end finnishes and exclusive amenities

• Robust social program and events

• Access to all Modera amenities and events–the “Best of Both Worlds”

• Studio, one and two bedroom homes

• Den layouts available

• 13-18 month leases

• Luxury finishes and amenities

• Premium Collection homes available

Downsizing Presents a Chance to Declutter When Moving to a Smaller Space

BY ALEX RUSSELL FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

When people move from a single-family home to a smaller space, like an apartment, downsizing is often an integral part of the process and can become a project in itself.

Gale Morgan, Senior Vice President of Sales at Mather, spoke about the reasons to downsize and why doing it right and early on makes the overall move a lot easier.

The primary type of resident at Mather living communities — with one opening up in McLean next year — are people “in their early 70s” who have “become empty nesters” and who are now realizing that “there’s a lot of rooms they don’t even use.” As their children go on to have their own families, lifestyles change too.

Morgan continues, “they look around and go, ‘wow, there’s a lot of this space I don’t use.’” Admittedly, “it can be an arduous task sorting through those possessions they’ve had forever…it becomes a real per-

sonal check of ‘do I need this?

Yes or no?’”

This dynamic applies to a much broader extent, essentially with anyone in the same position — a transition from a larger home to a smaller space, with the change necessitating a reassessment of one’s household items, furniture, kitchen items, clothes, books and so forth.

Camille Prunka of Refreshingly Candid Coaching & Organizing — a business operating in the northern Virginia area — shared that many people, whether they are her customers or not, at times “overestimate what space can handle.”

“They see the [new] apartment empty” and in their minds try to “recreate how they’re comfortable in their new space,” imagining “their current couch” in the new apartment — without paying close attention to the actual new spatial limitations.

Prunka suggests bringing a “measuring tape and a piece of paper” to ascertain if the “furniture is actually going to fit.”

Claudia Taskier, of the

Organizer DC, concurs, saying that getting a sense of where one is moving into, “even if it’s an estimate of the place,” is very important. She suggests taking photographs of the new place and maybe doing a quick “mock-up of what you want your living space to be.”

She underscores that it is

very beneficial to “start early… give yourself a month or two while you’re thinking about buying a place.”

Aside from the rough planning, with downsizing — whether the person is a senior with a home full of heirlooms and other objects of sentimental value or a younger person with

a lot of collectibles and general “stuff” — “keeping a list of all of these things is vital,” continues Taskier.

Prunka stresses “you really need to know what you have” and keep in mind questions like “is the item properly cared for?

Meet Your Home Experts

Bethany Ellis – Long and Foster

Bethany Ellis owns and operates a highly successful real estate business in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. She is an experienced Realtor® whose goal is to exceed your expectations. Her knowledge of the local market, attention to detail, excellent negotiating ability, and effective communication ensures that your real estate transaction will go smoothly from start to finish. Bethany has direct access to local lenders, home inspectors, new home developers, settlement groups, and local service providers (painters, plumbers, carpet suppliers, handymen, electricians, plumbers, and more). Bethany Ellis is your real estate resource. Call Bethany when you are ready to buy, sell or invest in real estate.

Bethany Ellis, Long and Foster 1355 Beverly Rd., #109 McLean, VA 22101 703.307.7003 • buyandsellwithBethany.com

Tori McKinney - ROCK STAR Realty Group, KW Metro Center

As you embark on your journey to buy and sell your home, it is ever so important to have the right real estate agent on your side. My goal is to educate and guide my clients in these unprecedented times. While the market remains competitive with minimal inventory, let us help you navigate the way into your new home.

My ROCK STAR Realty Group strives to be the most trusted and connected Realtors® in Falls Church City and beyond. My respected and experienced team and I are passionate about helping buyers find the homes they love, and providing sellers with a seamless sale transaction from start to finish. Given the challenges buyers are currently facing, my #1 aspiration is to bring my clients joy, calm, and confidence with one of life’s biggest decisions. Your housing dreams are our utmost priority and we look forward to guiding you through the process.

Each Wednesday morning, I camp out at Northside Social Falls Church from 10:00-11:00 AM for my ROCK the House Coffee Hour. Please join me to discuss your housing needs and questions about the market over a cup of coffee or tea. I look forward to seeing you there!

Tori McKinney | CEO & Realtor® | ROCK STAR Realty Group, KW Metro Center 2111 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201 703.867.8674 • RockStarRealtyGroup.com

Ken Trotter, Silver Line Group at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Ken Trotter is the founder and principal agent of the Silver Line Group and regularly recognized as one of Washington, DC’s top producing Realtors®. While the heart of the Silver Line Group’s practice is in Falls Church, the team also regularly represents buyers and sellers along the Silver Line corridor from DC to Dulles.

Ken was a successful litigation attorney prior to becoming a Realtor®, and he drew upon that experience when establishing the guiding principals behind the Silver Line Group’s professional service:

“We focus on making our clients’ interests our sole priority and zealously strive to achieve the best results for our clients in every transaction.”

The Silver Line Group’s talented team of professionals strongly believes in delivering the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and expertise at all price points. From urban condos with high walkability scores to estate homes, the team is passionate about helping you find the perfect home, or the right buyer for your home.

For more detailed information about the Silver Line Group’s real estate practice, please visit SilverLineHouses.com and reach out directly to Ken.

Ken Trotter, J.D., Realtor, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty 703.606.1122 • SilverLineHouses.com

Kelly Millspaugh Thompson

Kelly Millspaugh Thompson is a Falls Church City native and small business owner. Kelly opened Stylish Patina, Home + Gift Boutique in Falls Church in 2013. A few years ago she expanded her service offering to include Real Estate. She now melds her love of Real Estate and Interior Design into a one of a kind full service offering for her clients. This has proven to be a unique and highly sought after combination of skills. Her extensive experience in home decor, interior design and home renovation provides a broad area of expertise that she can bring to her clients both on the buying and selling side of the equation. If you are looking for a Realtor with a designer’s eye contact Kelly for your no obligation consult!

Kelly Millspaugh Thompson • Realtor ® • Designer • Owner Stylish Patina 450 W. Broad St. Suite 120 A Falls Church VA 22046 703.303.3700 • stylishpatina.com

DuBro Architects + Builders

DuBro Architects + Builders have been transforming our clients’ homes for 20 years. We care deeply for our clients and the community within which we work. We are driven by the integration of insightful design and expert craftsmanship infused with a spirit of integrity and innovation. LOVE YOUR HOME.

DUBRO Architects + Builders | Jeff DuBro, Owner 429 S Maple Ave. Falls Church, VA 22046 703.533.7464 • www.dubro.net

Kathy Pippin, Samson Properties

Kathy Pippin grew up in Northern Virginia, attended Wakefield HS and received an engineering degree in Maryland. Her methodical approach and local knowledge, coupled with her negotiation skills and top-notch marketing, have well equipped her to serve her clients, whether first-time home buyers, repeat buyers, sellers, or investors. She is pragmatic and has a consultative approach when helping clients buy or sell. She has a dedicated team to produce successful outcomes for each sale. Kathy believes in giving back to the community and supporting local and national charities in the areas of children’s cancer research, survivors of abuse, and worldwide medical assistance. Her trusted loan officer, Jimmy Boone, with Cardinal Finance, provides great loan programs and always exceeds clients’ expectations.

Kathy Pippin, Samson Properties 6707 Old Dominion Drive #315 McLean, VA 22101 703.408.0838 • KathyPippinProperties.com

Peake Management

Lindsey Peake was raised with a passion for real estate that has extended through 3 generations. An avid investor herself, she works hard to find good investment properties and homes for clients. Not all houses make good rental property, that’s where experience helps.

With a 40-year history in Northern Virginia, the company is strong and wellestablished. The focus is always on the client, whether listing a home for sale, buying the perfect home, or managing property.

A strong believer that long term property ownership creates wealth and treating clients as good friends helping them on their path to creating wealth.

Peake Management, Inc. 450 N Washington St. Ste M Falls Church, VA 22046 703.408.2153 • www.peakeinc.com

A Falls Church News-Press Advertorial

Meet Your Home Experts

FOXCRAFT Design Group

Foxcraft Design Group is entering their 33rd year as an award-winning design/ build firm and general contractor. What is the secret to longevity in such a competitive marketplace? “We understand adapting homes for growing families and the importance that a neighborhood plays in family life,” explains Foxcraft president and co-owner Chandler Fox.

Foxcraft is among the most creative, experienced design/build firms in the region, specializing in meeting clients’ budget expectations and overcoming ever changing national and county codes, regulations and guidelines. “We’ve done it all,” Fox says. “Clients come back to us many times for additional projects. We are problem solvers and trusted advisors.” www.foxcraft.com

FOXCRAFT Design Group

110 Great Falls St, Falls Church, VA 22046 703.536.1888 • foxcraft.com

Zimmermann Homes

My family and I live in Falls Church, where we take pride in building leading-edge custom homes that increase energy efficiency, require minimal service, and are very durable. All Zimmermann Homes come standard with upgraded products and building techniques designed to add value and make the home more comfortable to live in. We are passionate about working together with our clients to build these innovative homes that combine a level of performance and beauty that is tough to find elsewhere.

Zimmermann Homes

203.331.9697 • zimmermannhomes.com

Alison Miller - Keller Williams Realty Falls

Church

I have been in the DC and Virginia residential real estate market as a full-time professional since 2008 as a buyer, rehabber, seller, commercial property owner, and Keller Williams Falls Church agent helping others buy and sell. Prior to going into real estate full-time I earned an MBA degree with dual concentration in information technology and real estate finance. I worked for 25 years in the information technology industry as a Senior Manager and Director for organizations including Marriott International and Fannie Mae. Put my 360-degree real estate experience and technology skills to work for you!

Alison Miller - Keller Williams Realty Falls Church 105 W. Broad Street #200, Falls Church, VA 22046 703.298.9495 • alisonmiller.kw.com

Louise Molton, Falls Church, VA Real Estate

Covid and Housing.Two topics that are bound to come up in your conversation with friends! So what’s new? As we are learning how to adapt our lifestyles, we are learning how to navigate this current real estate market. Our needs have changed, maybe we need office space at home — how do we sell and then buy when there is so little inventory? What about interest rates? Should we add-on or down size? Should we leave the area? Why are our kids paying rent to a landlord, could we become the landlord and invest? Are the kids ever moving out!

Maybe you are not ready to sell but if you want to discuss a plan, with almost 20 years of experience, I would love to offer a no obligation consultation!.

Louise Molton, Falls Church, VA Real Estate 710 W Broad St., Falls Church, VA 22046-3219 703.244.1992 • agentlouise@gmail.com

Pam Micciche - HBC Group - KW

Pam Micciche of the HBC Group KW works hard for her clients by focusing on the essentials: strong relationships, honesty, and an unflagging commitment to the client’s best interest. As a native Washingtonian and a resident of Falls Church for almost 20 years, Pam knows this market inside and out. She lives in town with her husband, two kids and one very spoiled dog. Reach out to Pam when you are considering selling, buying, renting or investing so that she can put her strengths in negotiating to work for your real estate needs.

The HBC Group consistently sells over 100 residential properties annually ranging from multimillion dollar luxury estates to $300,000 condominiums and townhomes. Led by Karen Briscoe and Lizzy Conroy, the HBC group has over 100 years of combined experience in real estate related fields and contract negotiations.

Pam Micciche - HBC Group - KW 6820 Elm Street, McLean, VA, 22101 703.734.0192 • Pam@HBCGroupKW.com

Buchanan & Groom Real Estate and Investment

Bruce Buchanan and Bill Groom graduated from Yorktown High School in 1978. Forty years later, at a chance encounter at Arlington’s famed Bob & Edith’s Diner, they discussed their long experience in real estate and something clicked. Bill had been an award-winning agent for Long & Foster. While Bruce, an expert handyman, was helping owners find rental tenants and manage maintenance. Together, they combine over 80 years of expertise to provide you a “soup to nuts” approach to all your property needs. From selling and buying to expert property management, we are here for you!

Buchanan & Groom Real Estate and Investment 571.766.6108 • Buchananandgroomrealestate.com

MODERA FOUNDERS ROW & VERSO FOUNDERS ROW

Welcome to Founders Row - Falls Church’s newest retail destination, managed by Mill Creek Residential. Founders Row is home to two residential communities — Modera Founders Row, a luxury apartment community, and VERSO Founders Row, a collection of designer 55+ apartment homes. There are many restaurants and retailers on board (Chasin’ Tails, Ellie Bird and Club Pilates to name a few!), creating a one-stop shop for its residents. “Founders Row was always envisioned to elevate the dining and entertainment experience in the City of Falls Church,” said Joe Muffler, managing director of development. Enjoy shopping, dining and luxury amenities right outside your door!

Buchanan & Groom Real Estate and Investment

110 Founders Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22046 571-370-3201 • foundersrow.com

Merelyn Kaye & Karin Morrison - McEnearney

You’ve seen us in The News-Press for years! Falls Church’s most seasoned, knowledgeable, and successful mom and daughter real estate team provides the expertise and service you need — satisfaction guaranteed! Whether Buying, Selling, Renting, or Property Management, we’re your full-service team!

When you need a repair, information on refinancing, or sales anywhere in the USA, we can help. When you want a no-hassle estimate of your home’s value or need to get it sold fast for top dollar, we are ready to help. When you need to find a new home in this fast-paced seller’s market, we will get it done, there is no substitute for experience.

703.626.3257 • merelynkaye.com

Home Design Trends Impacted by Covid, Technology and Weather

BY ALEX RUSSELL FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, with people having to spend a lot more time in their homes than before, saw many looking at their living spaces and finding a variety of potential changes to be made, both inside and outside.

Frank Kenney, a realtor and contractor in the Northern Virginia region, explained that “you’re still seeing some of the modern grays and blacks” in home building, but now many people are “leaning toward all white,” reminiscent of the “Nordic style” of building.

There is also an emphasis on “off-white walls;” “white oak instead of red oak” for cabinets and railings, for example; and a rising popularity in “white cabinets and white backsplashes” in kitchens and bathrooms.

The outsides of homes are starting to see more “black frame windows,” adding to the stark nature of the more modern, Nordic-esque look.

When asked about this aes-

thetic shift, Kenney said he did not know for sure where this came from, but did say this trend has been “popularized by some shows and social media,” especially on websites like Pinterest.

Speaking more about the specific building materials used, Kenney said that “white oak has become more popular,” partly due to “the airiness of it.” It has become a draw for many who are working with an “open concept” space.

In general, customers are “looking more on the lighter side” visually, looking at “lighter woods” but also emphasizing “sharper edges, straight balusters” and “straight edge door handles.”

Jim Patton, of The Enclave at Aylors Overlook, adds that, in terms of design material, “granite and marble are out,” with quartz becoming a highly popular material for kitchen islands, for example.

“White and gray cabinets dominate” contemporary kitchen design, while hardwood floors “with wide planks

throughout the house” have maintained both their usage and popularity.

In terms of the specific areas of a house, Patton shared that “expanded front porches, larger…home offices” and larger

“bedrooms for children,” that “include their own baths,” appear to be the most in-demand sections customers want to change, add to or extend.

Kenney says essentially people are desiring “more living

space” as well as an increase in their general “recreational space” — no doubt as a result of Covid lockdowns.

“People usually want to

Continued on Page

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Homeowners Need to Ask Themselves Questions Before a Move

Who is the buyer?” She also recommends knowing “the model of the item,” or at least being able to identify if it is a vintage item or not.

For older people who are embarking on a move, Morgan reminds them that “you can’t keep all the artwork.”

Some couples have a sizable amount of “collectibles or china,” which can also be difficult to part with.

Prunka warns that there is “not a huge, everyday market” for formal china. She says that people with expensive, formal china would do well finding “aficionados or collectors,” with Etsy.com now having established itself as a place for “people who specialize in vintage items.” Decluttering is key to downsizing.

Prunka adds that “locally, food kitchens will absolutely take unexpired food and personal items” such as shampoo,

unused toothbrushes, “even toilet paper.”

“Some places will take adult incontinence items, too.” She lists Greater DC Diaper Bank as “a good resource in the region for families in need.”

“People don’t think to donate” along these kinds of avenues, but an organization like the Diaper Bank “will take a pack of open diapers in good, clean condition.”

Places like Goodwill and the Salvation Army will take furniture; Greendrop, a non-profit that has “trailers set up in the Northern Virginia area in supermarket parking lots” makes donating in bulk “easy and convenient.”

Taskier says that “whether you’re willing to make an investment and hire an organizer or get a friend to help,” making sure that the decluttering, downsizing and donating goes thoroughly and well-planned pays off in the end.

Morgan, speaking specifically from her perspective working for

Mather, shared that many people “express this huge relief when they’re done. It’s like ‘these possessions were sort of managing our lifestyle.’ They’re always excited that they did downsize.”

But this is something that extends to anyone who is about to move to a smaller place or is in the process of doing so.

Morgan adds that even an item that seems to be irreplace-

able can sometimes provide a good opportunity for downsizing. Many people come to realize that “every joy, every moment came with me. It didn’t go with that piece of furniture.”

Homeowners Tend to Prioritize Kitchens, Additions

bump out their living room or their kitchen, or do something with the bedroom upstairs,” says Kenney. Changes are typically made “on the main level” or at the basement level. He continued, touching on the projects people have been seeking

to make a reality on the outside of their house — outlining how when it comes to porches and decks — he has seen more of them built in the back of a house. With summers getting longer and hotter, homeowners are looking for new spaces “like decks and four season-type rooms.”

“Solar panels have picked up

some” in their demand, but “there are a lot of restrictions” that are attached to them, too. They don’t “add a lot of value at the moment.”

With the recent advent in electric cars, homeowners have been increasingly electrifying their garages to maintain 240 volts. Kenney expressed a definite “uptick” for

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gration, “are being used, too.” As reflected on by both professionals, and as influenced by two years of lockdowns, record temperatures and new tech, many homeowners are prioritizing more room and a wider variety of ways to enhance and enjoy their living and recreational spaces.

Continued from Page 18

Falls Church Business News & Notes

Bolay to Open at Birch & Broad

Fast-casual chain, Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen, is preparing for a September 1 opening at Birch and Broad with another in Gainesville on September 8. These are the first to open in the Greater Washington region. Based out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, John Horvatinovich, formerly director of operations of Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup, will oversee the rollout. The Falls Church location is currently hiring for the September opening.

Jake’s Ice Cream Recognition

Opening in August 2021 in Falls Church, Jake’s Ice Cream has employed more than 20 adults with special needs and has received recent attention in the media. Owner Robin Rinearson named the business after her nephew, 29 year-old Jake, was sent home from a job with 17 other young adults with disabilities when Covid hit. Inspired by Jake, she retired from her position in an optometry practice in Bailey’s Crossroads to open the ice cream parlor. Initial employees came from her patient base. The brand’s tagline is “Crafted with Pride by Loving Hands.”

Google’s Legacy Free Business G-Suite Ends

Earlier this year, Google announced that small businesses on its “legacy free” G-Suite plan will no longer be able to use its customized email service and other workplace apps free of charge. Google will automatically move businesses to a paid Google Workspace service on June 27. If billing is not set up by August 1, Google will suspend the user’s accounts and associated email addresses. While they expect the monthly charge, around $6 for each business email address, to be minimal, some small business owners oppose the move citing that Google is forcing them to pay for a service they’ve enjoyed for free for over a decade. To complete your upgrade, you’ll need to set up Google Workspace billing at https://support.google.com/a/answer/2633430 before August 1, 2022.

GDIT Receives $908M Contract

General Dynamics Information Technology Inc. (GDIT) was awarded a $908M contract to support U.S. Air Forces in Europe on IT and network systems run by the 764th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. This covers modernizing and supporting existing infrastructure, networks, systems, operations and manintenance, cybersecurity and managing new requirements and emerging technology. This work will be done at facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, and other European countries. This contract consolidates mission-critical services under one contract for greater speed, flexibility, and accessibility of IT services.

Registering Your Business Webinar

The Women’s Business Center of Northern Virginia (CBP) is hosting a webinar on how to become a legal business. Guidance includes the legal entity forms; federal, state and local registrations; entity structures, intellectual property matters and other legal items relating to contracts and legal business matters. Rebecca Geller, Esq, leads the webinar on Wednesday, July 27, 6:00 – 7:30 pm and registration for the free webinar is at www.cbponline.org.

Hiring? Earn Credit with Indeed

Through the Indeed Small Business Hiring Fund, the company has committed $50 million in Sponsored Job credit to help businesses find great hires. For a limited time, you can earn up to $500 in Sponsored Job credit by conducting interviews on Indeed. You’ll get $300 for your first interview and $50 for each additional interview, up to $500. Use your credit to upgrade future job posts, increasing visibility and making it easier to find the right candidate. To learn more, visit https://www.indeed.com/hire/interview-promo?hl=en

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

Community News & Notes

Support the Collect for Kids School Supply Drive

To ensure that children in the school district are prepared for school, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and Educate Fairfax are once again organizing the Collect for Kids effort, a collection of notfor-profit, for-profit and government entities providing school supplies to benefit FCPS students who otherwise might go without them. More than 56,000 (31 percent) FCPS students qualify for free or reducedprice meals and have trouble affording basic necessities. Donations to fundraisers like this help provide the supplies countless students need to be successful at school. Contributions can be made online through Educate Fairfax. Donations will be used to purchase bulk school supply kits at highly discounted pricing. For more information, visit educatefairfax.org.

July Brings National Park and Recreation Month

Park and Recreation Month is designed to highlight the work done by park professionals and volunteers who work for their communities in service of equity, climate-readiness and overall health and well-being. Parks sit at the center of many experiences, such as a person’s introduction to a favorite hobby or physical activity; they serve as gathering places, spots of healing, sites that connect residents with essential community services and much more. Following the pandemic, park attendance increased and facilities and programs continue to fill up with attendees. The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) will be sharing photos and stories at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/topics/ park-recreation-month as well as stories written by staff at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/joinfcpa.

21 Volunteers Honored by Park Authority Peers

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) will honor 21 individual volunteers named 2022 Outstanding Volunteers, selected by their peers from across the park system. Volunteers are at

the core of the agency’s ability to provide services and programming to millions of visitors each year. Approximately 4,000 volunteers give of their time annually and take on a multitude of tasks. The 2022 Outstanding Volunteers are: Ana Alatrash, Dave Barnard, Ava Belmont, William Doud, Dan Dyke, Elizabeth Etherton, Alan Figgatt, Gioia Forman, David Gorsline, Janet Jaeger, Susan Jones, Brian Keith, Owen Krzos, Kristine Lansing, Jerry Lopynski, Mike Messman, Kim Nguyen, Brenda Pryor, Beverley Rivera, Alice Schipf, Mary Beth Smith. All volunteers will be feted at the virtual Elly Doyle Park Service Awards program in November. For more information, contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

Affordable Health Screenings Coming to Falls Church

Residents living in and around the Falls Church area can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other chronic, serious conditions with affordable screenings by Life Line Screening. Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church will host this community event on Monday, July 25. The site is located at 3435 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Falls Church. Screenings can check for: The level of plaque buildup in your arteries, related to risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and overall vascular health; HDL and LDL Cholesterol levels; Diabetes risk; bone density as a risk for possible osteoporosis; kidney and thyroid function and more. Free parking is available. Special package pricing starts at $159; consultants are able to work with visitors to create a package that fits a patient’s age and risk factors. Call 1-877-2371354 or visit lifelinescreening. com for more details and to register.

Covid-19 Vaccine Clinic for Kids

6 Months — 5 Years of Age

Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS), in conjunc-

tion with the Fairfax County Health Department, will host two Vaccination Clinics for children six months — 5 years of age at Oak Street Elementary (601 S Oak St, Falls Church) on Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday, July 28. Clinics are limited to 75 children each day. Children do not have to be affiliated with FCCPS families to attend. Parents must register for a time slot to attend at guest. vams.cdc.gov/?jurisdiction=FX. The vaccine is the two-dose Moderna vaccine, with second doses to be administered on August 24 and 25.

2022 Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower Update

The nominal peak of the Delta Aquariid meteor shower is in late July, but will continue into August. Late July — early August, between mid-evening and dawn, those interested will be able to catch the phenomenon. There’s a nominal predicted peak on July 29 — but Delta Aquariid meteors fly for weeks. The Delta Aquariids’ maximum hourly rate can reach 20 meteors in dark skies with no moon, when the radiant is high in the sky. Note: Like May’s Eta Aquariids, July’s Delta Aquariids favor the Southern Hemisphere. Skywatchers at high northern latitudes tend to discount it, but the shower can be excellent from latitudes like those in the southern U.S. Delta Aquariid meteors tend to be fainter than Perseid meteors, so a moon-free dark sky is essential. About 5 percent — 10 percent of the Delta Aquariid meteors leave persistent trains, glowing ionized gas trails that last a second or two after the meteor has passed. Visit skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/ southern-delta-aquariid-meteorshower/ for more information.

Social-Emotional Support Information for McLean HS

McLean High School’s Clinical Staff are available to consult with parents and students regarding mental health related concerns and behaviors. They are also able to pro-

vide community resources as needed. Contact information for each staff member is as follows: Carol Ann Forrest, School Psychologist (CMForrest@fcps.edu); Beverly Parker-Lewis, School Psychologist (baparkerlewi@fcps.edu); Marly Jerome-Featherson, School Social Worker (mjeromefeath@fcps.edu).

The following are Emergency

Resources: Crisis Link Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077; Crisis

Text: Text NEEDHELP to 85511; Dominion Hospital Emergency: 703-536-2000; INOVA Emergency: 703-289-7560; Merrifield Center Emergency: 703-573-5979, TTY dial 711; Life Threatening: 911.

Kids Eat Free Program Returns to Nationals Park

The Washington Nationals recently announced the return of Kids Eat Free, a program created in 2019. Kids ages 12 and under can receive a free meal includ-

ing a hot dog, choice of chips or applesauce and a bottled water or apple juice at all Nationals home games now — Wednesday, Aug. 3. “When we became the first MLB team to launch a free meal program for young fans…we aimed to provide our fans with the best game day experience possible,” said Alan Gottlieb, Chief Operating Officer, Lerner Sports. “This season, we’re excited to bring Kids Eat Free back with some additional enhancements that make the process easier and more convenient, helping families spend more time together watching baseball at Nationals Park.” Kids meals will be available via mobile ordering on the MLB Ballpark app at five concessions locations throughout the ballpark (Sections 110, 129, 141, 229 and 301). The offer is redeemable once per game per child by using the code KIDSEATFREE in the app. Children must be present to pick up their meals.

BIKE FALLS CHURCH is a community organization in the Little City that works to increase street safety, improve biking infrastructure and promote sustainability through alternate modes of transport. The group carries out a variety of activities, like cleanups on the W&OD trail, different community events, local city council meetings and more. Visit bikefallschurch.org for more information.

(Photo: Sue Johnson)

Additional family-friendly amenities and activities include: Jr. Nationals Kids Club, which offers members-only offers and exclusive appearances all season long; the Kids Fun Zone play structure, located near the Right Field Gate; Kids Giveaways, presented by Harris Teeter, occuring on select weekends in which the first 5,000 kids ages 12 and under on Saturday and Sunday receive items including a bucket hat, color-your-own pencil case and other collectibles; Kids Run the Bases, inviting kids ages 4 — 12 to run the bases following every Sunday day game, weather permitting; First Game Certificates for fans, in commemoration of their first game at Nationals Park; a Nursing Lounge with air conditioning, TVs, comfortable chairs, changing stations, refrigeration units, a play area and electrical outlets located in Section 223; a Sensory Room and sensory bag available from guest services in the Center Field Plaza; Signature Sundays give fans the chance to get autographs from players, coaches and broadcasters following Sunday games, subject to weather and availability; the Summer Reading Program offers students a voucher for two free tickets to a game if they complete their local library’s program, plus the addition of free Summer Reading Sundays programming. For more information, visit nationals.com. Nationals Park is located at 1500 S Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003.

Historic Dranesville Tavern Repairs Begin

One of Fairfax County’s oldest buildings is undergoing repairs to address termite damage that has affected its log

structure. Historic Dranesville Tavern, built in the 1830s, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Nov. 9, 1972. The structure will benefit from a $191,000 project, which includes demolition and investigation of the affected areas, materials sourcing and reassembly. The project is expected to be completed in Nov. of this year. The Tavern is located at 11919 Leesburg Pike in Herndon, VA. It has been utilized by the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) as a historic rental for social events and FCPA programs. It is cared for under the auspices of the Resident Curator Program at this time. At the time of its construction, Fairfax was evolving from a remote frontier into settled farmland. The tavern stands as a significant vestige of the social and commercial history of the region; its association with turnpike trade is a significant chapter in its history. The rapid growth of these roads in the general area of Dranesville was spurred by the rivalry between the cities of Georgetown and Alexandria for the valuable resources of the Shenandoah Valley. Dranesville Tavern was often visited by those who traveled between these eastern towns and Leesburg. For more information, contact David Buchta at 703-324-8586 or at David. Buchta@fairfaxcounty.gov.

July artiFACTS Features Popular Toy Rocket

Archaeologists recovered an old toy rocket at a site in Fairfax County, which, when put within the context of its time period (sometime in the early to mid-1900s), speaks greatly to America’s fascination and preoccupation with space and science fiction. Things like

the Space Race, the launch of Sputnik and popular media like “Buck Rogers” and “Lost in Space” were crucial cultural touchstones of this period, especially during the 1950s and 60s. Find out more at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/artifacts. For more information on these items and more, contact Assistant Collections Manager Heather Hembrey at 703-534-3881.

Assistance League of Northern Virginia Enters Fundraiser

The Assistance League of Northern Virginia is taking part in a fund-raising effort and wishes to spread the word to anyone who may be interested in joining the challenge: the Gannett Foundation and Mighty Cause are sponsoring a campaign titled A Mighty Cause: A Community Thrives, in which nonprofit organizations are invited to compete. The first phase of the challenge requires the Assistance League to collect

$3,000 before 9 p.m. on Friday, August 12. Depending on how successful that campaign is, the nonprofit might also be eligible for additional funding and, if the goal is met, the Gannett Foundation will consider the grant application for funding to support the charity’s Weekend Food for Kids program.

Assistance League of Northern Virginia is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that works to transform the lives of children through community programs. Its philanthropic programs are designed to provide students with the tools they need to succeed in school and become productive adults. The Assistance League focuses on providing food, clothing and other necessities to children and improving their reading skills through one-on-one tutoring and book donations. Children with a solid educational foundation are better able to move up the economic ladder as adults. To learn more, visit mightycause.

com/organization/AssistanceLeague-Of-Northern-Virginia.

DC Queer Theatre Festival Accepting Submissions

The DC Queer Theatre Festival will present a series of new play readings later this year, featuring unproduced and unpublished one-act plays relating to the LGBT community. The DC Center for the LGBT Community is especially interested in stories dealing with HIV/AIDS, healthcare, caregiving and the Covid19 pandemic and is prioritizing working with playwrights new to the Theatre Festival. Participating playwrights will have the opportunity to work with professional directors, actors and dramaturgs who will help with the development of the plays over several rehearsals, culminating in a staged reading. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 30. For more information, visit thedccenter. org/queertheatrefest.

THE MEMORY CAFE at Famille (700A West Broad St, Falls Church) is a Kensington initiative designed for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and their caregivers, friends and family. The Memory Cafe is an opportunity to make friends and interact with others in a safe space. The next event is scheduled for Friday, July 29 at 10 a.m. For more information, visit thekensingtonfallschurch. com. (P���� ��������: K���� P�����)

FALLS CHURCH CALENDAR

FCNP Featured

THURSDAY, JULY 21

FALLS CHURCH CHAMBER VIRTUAL MEMBER ORIENTATION. An interactive meeting hosted by the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, detailing the Chamber’s mission, membership benefits and how to make use of the Member Information Center. Email Cathy Soltys at cathy@fallschurchchamber.org for a Zoom meeting invitation or register at fallschurchchamber.org. 11:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m.

COLLAB: CONVERSATION IN ART. bition featuring work done in collabora

fallschurcharts.org for more information. The gallery is open Wednesdays — Saturdays, 11 a.m. — 6 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. — 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 22

EASTERSEALS TEACHER JOB FAIR. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Avenue, Falls Church) will host an Easterseals job fair between the hours of 10 a.m. — 2 p.m. Easterseals DC MD VA works to expand opportunities for all children and adults in the

cause — whether diagnosed at birth or incurred through disease, accidental injury or the aging process. For more information, visit careers.eseal.org.

DMV TO GO. The DMV will be visiting Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church) from the hours of 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. Registration is required and an appointment can be made at dmv. virginia.gov/onlineservices/appointmentselector.aspx. The DMV takes a lunch break from 12:30 — 1:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 23

FALLS CHURCH FARMERS MARKET. Every Saturday, the Farmers Market features fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers, honey, and more. Covid-19 guidelines observed. (300 Park Ave, Falls Church). 8 a.m. — 12 p.m.

SING BOOKS WITH EMILY. A singing storytime with Emily and her Symphony of Silly Instruments at Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church). 11 — 11:30 a.m.

day also encourages people to adopt a pet from a local shel ter or to do research and find a legitimate breeder, while also serving as an opportunity to teach new and current pet owners about the dangers of the puppy mill industry. There are many dog rescues in the Northern Virginia area, with some close to the City of Falls Church. The Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation (lostdogrescue.org), based out of Arlington, is a volunteer-run organization working to help people in the adoption process. There is also Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (luckydoganimalrescue.org), also out of Arlington, as well as Wolf Trap Animal Rescue (wtarescue.com) and Mutt Love Rescue (muttloverescue.org). These organizations help atrisk animals avoid euthanasia, neglect and abuse and eventually find an owner and a home.

SUNDAY, JULY 24

THE FALLS CHURCH FARMERS MARKET, now open at 8 a.m. every Saturday morning near City Hall, now has a new mascot: “Howie, the Honey Bee." Howie will be hiding in the farmers market each week, and after you spot him, stop by the info booth for a prize from the prize box.

AN AFTERNOON WITH MARY TODD LINCOLN. The Cherry Hill Historic Farmhouse will feature Phyllis Verhalen as she portrays Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States from 1861 — 1865. Originating from a large, wealthy Kentucky family, she became an educated woman and early American feminist. Verhalen’s portrayal will reveal Mary Todd Lincoln’s life to the audience, correcting misconceptions that have been perpetuated through certain historical renderings. Contact Leann Martin at leannpmartin@yahoo.com to register for this event. $5. 2 p.m. Cherry Hill Farmhouse is located at 312 Park Ave, Falls Church.

CALLS FOR ENTRIES: ALL MEDIA – ART INSPIRED BY THE WORD “WILD.” Go wild as you create works for this word-inspired show. "Wild" was selected by our followers after an "Art Madness" competition on social media. Deadline for submissions is Sunday, July 24 at midnight, while the exhibition is from August 20-October 2 at the Falls Church Arts Gallery and online.

MONDAY, JULY 25

CITY COUNCIL MEETING. The Falls Church City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of the month, with the exception of Aug. and Dec. The public is welcome to address the Council during the public comment period; those interested in speaking can sign up at fallschurchva.gov/ publiccomment. Meetings can be viewed at fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings or on FCCTV. Meetings take place at Council Chambers (300 Park Ave, Falls Church). 7:30 — 11 p.m.

MYSTERY BOOK CLUB. The group will meet in-person at Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave, Falls Church). This month’s book is “Ministry of Fear” by Graham Greene, a WWII espionage thriller. Contact Eric Albrecht at ealbrecht@fallschurchva.gov for more info. 7 — 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, JULY 26

FALLS CHURCH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MIXER. The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce will hold a networking mixer from 5:30 — 7 p.m. to celebrate the grand opening of the new Solano Spine & Sport Chiropractic location. Solano Spine & Sport Chiropractic (803 W. Broad Street, Suite 620, Falls Church).

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT SETTLE DOWN EASY. Settle Down Easy Brewing Company (2822 Fallfax Dr, Falls Church) hosts an open mic night every Tuesday, inviting locals in the area to sing and play music. Performers get 50 percent off their first beer. 6 p.m.

(Photo: Helena Lopes)

CONCERTS IN THE PARK is an annual event series hosted by the Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) and the Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department. This year's performances take place in Cherry Hill Park every Thursday until August 4. (Photo: VPIS.org/Gary Mester)

THE CREAKY BONES (formerly the Virginia Southpaws) are a DC area band founded in 2016, specializing in a blend of roots rock, blues and folk. They will be performing at Settle Down Easy this Saturday at 6 p.m. (Photo courtesy: The Creaky Bones)

LIVE MUSIC

THURSDAY, JULY 21

SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE PARK: KM2. Cherry Hill Park (223 Park Ave, Falls Church). 7 p.m.

BOBBY THOMPSON BAND. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-241-9504.

FRIDAY, JULY 22

SWELL BAND. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504.

DAN CHUTE & FRIENDS. Ireland’s Four Provinces (105 W Broad St, Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-534-8999.

ERIN GRANFIELD. Creative Cauldron (410 S Maple Ave, Falls Church). $35. 7:30 p.m. 703-436-9948.

MAGIC TRIO BAND. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

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

SATURDAY, JULY 23

TUNEMATICS. JV’s Restaurant (6666

THEATER & ARTS

THURSDAY, JULY 21

SUMMER CONCERTS IN CHERRY HILL

PARK. The 2022 Summer Concerts in the Park Series, hosted by the Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) and the Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department, returns for its 30th year. Running now — Thursday, Aug. 4, guests will hear a variety of regional artists — ranging from blues to rock to Latin — each week starting at 7 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave, Falls Church). Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and a picnic dinner. For more information, visit fallschurchva.gov/632/Concertsin-the-Park. The lineup for the remainder of the summer is as follows: Acosta and Clark (Acoustic Roots); Thursday, July 21: KM2 (Rock and Pop Covers); Thursday, July 28: Karl Stoll and The Danger Zone (Blues); Thursday, Aug. 4: Big Howdy (Bluegrass).

PROVIDENCE PRESENTS. As part of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series, the Providence District will be hosting live music perfor-

mances at Nottoway Park (9601 Courthouse Rd, Vienna) and Graham Road Community Building (3036 Graham Rd, Falls Church) on Wednesday and Thursday nights, now — August. The upcoming shows at Nottoway Park are: Thursday, July 21: King Soul (Southern Soul) at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, July 28: Seth Kibel & The Kleztet (Jazz, Swing) at 7:30 p.m. The upcoming shows at Graham Road Community Building are: Wednesday, July 27: Mariachi Los Amigos (Mariachi Dance). Those wishing to volunteer at an event can email providence@fairfaxcounty. gov. For more information, visit fairfax county.gov/parks/performances.

FRIDAY, JULY 22

2022 SUMMER CABARET SERIES. Sponsored by Sislers Stone and produced by Creative Cauldron, the Summer Cabaret series is a celebration of musical theater. Every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., now — September 17, audiences will experience local talent from the DC area. Creative Cauldron is located at 410 S Maple Ave, Falls Church. For more information and tickets, visit creativecauldron.org.

Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 4 p.m.

Settle Down Easy Brewing Company (2822 Fallfax Dr, Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-573-2011.

The Austin Grill (8430 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield). 7 p.m.

ALAN NAYLOR: “IT MAKES ME HAPPY.” Creative Cauldron (410 S Maple Ave, Falls Church). $35. 7:30 p.m. 703-

THRILLBILLYS BIG PARTY. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

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

SUNDAY, JULY 24

2D SOLE. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504.

DC ROCKERS. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-241-9504.

MONDAY, JULY 25

TOM SAPUTO. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

TUESDAY, JULY 26

VERNON SANTMYER’S ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington

Blvd, Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703241-9504.

TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC. Ireland’s Four Provinces (105 W Broad St, Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-534-8999.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27

703-241-9504.

OVER 200,000 AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND SAILORS served in the U.S. Army and Navy during the Civil War. Their service helped to bring the war to an end and eventually free over four million enslaved African-Americans. The African American Civil War Memorial includes a sculpture by Ed Hamilton entitled “Spirit of Freedom.” Inscribed on the base is: “Civil War to Civil rights and Beyond. This Memorial is dedicated to those who served in African American units of the Union Army in the Civil War. The 209,145 names inscribed on these walls commemorate those fighters of freedom.” This memorial is located at 1925 Vermont Avenue Northwest, Washington DC. (Photo : NPS/Terry Adams)

Nur Salah Abushakra Plaintiff, FAMILY COURT COVERSHEET vs. Yaser Mahmoudelkhatib Defendant. Docket No. 2022-DR-26-

NOTE: The coversheet and information contained herein neither replaces nor supplements the filing and service of pleadings or other papers as required by law. This form is required for docketing purposes for the Clerk of Court and must be signed and dated, and filled out completely. A copy of this coversheet must be served on the defendant(s) along with the Summons and Complaint. Submitted by:

Submitting Party Signature: __________

___________________________ Date:

Custodial Parent (if applicable): Nur Salah Abushakra

Effective January 1, 2016, family court actions in all counties are subject to mediation. Under the provisions of the Supreme Court’s Rules for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), mediation is defined as an informal process in which a thirdparty mediator facilitates settlement discussions between parties. Any settlement is voluntary. In the absence of settlement, the parties lose none of their rights to trial.

Also under the ADR Rules, the parties may agree on a mediator or the Clerk of Court will appoint a mediator from the certified list. If the Clerk appoints a mediator from the list, the mediator will be certified by the Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification and may be either a lawyer, a licensed mental health professional or any other individual meeting the certification requirements. Whether or not the mediator is a lawyer, if appointed by the court, the charge per hour is set at a specified amount under the provisions of ADR Rule 9. Parties are responsible for payment of the mediator as set out in ADR Rule 9.

SUPREME COURT RULES REQUIRE MEDIATION OF ALL CONTESTED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ACTIONS. IF THE DOCKET-

ING INFORMATION ON PAGE 1 OF THIS COVERSHEET INDICATES THAT THIS CASE IS SUBJECT TO MEDIATION YOU ARE NOTIFIED THAT MEDIATED SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES ARE REQUIRED IN THIS CASE, AND THAT THE COURTANNEXED ADR RULES SHALL APPLY TO ALL CASES IN WHICH MEDIATION IS REQUIRED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PROCESS AND TIME FRAMES, PLEASE CONSULT THE ADR RULES. KEY SECTIONS OF THE RULES ARE IDENTIFIED BELOW. CONTESTED ACTIONS INVOLVING CUSTODY AND VISITATION Rule 3

Actions Subject to ADR Rule 4(d)(1)(3)(4) &(5)

Appointment of Mediator by Family Court

Rule 5(g)

Scheduling in Family Court

Rule 6(g)

Agreement in Family Court Rule 7(f)

Reporting Results of Conference Rule 9

Compensation of Neutral ALL OTHER CONTESTED ACTIONS

Rule 3

Actions Subject to ADR Rule 4(d)(2)(3)(4) &(5)

Appointment of Mediator by Family Court Rule 5(g)

Scheduling in Family Court

Rule 6(g)

Agreement in Family Court

Rule 7(f)

Reporting Results of Conference Rule 9

Compensation of Neutral Indigent Cases: Where a mediator has been appointed, a party may move before the Chief Judge for Administrative Purposes to be exempted from payment of neutral fees and expenses based upon indigency. Determination of indigency shall be in the sole discretion of the Chief Judge for Administrative Purposes. Application of a party to be exempt from payment of neutral fees due to indigency should be filed prior to the scheduling of the ADR conference. Please Note: Attendance at mediated settlement conferences is mandatory. You must comply with the Supreme Court rules regarding court-ordered mediation. Failure to do so may affect your case and may result in sanctions.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on July 11, 2022. A public hearing, second reading, and final City Council action is scheduled for Monday, July 25, 2022 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.

(TO22-13) ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY VIRGINIA TECH (FAIRFAX COUNTY TAX MAP # 0403-01-0092); TO APPROVE THE CONVEYANCE OF THAT PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE “VIRGINIA TECH NORTHERN VIRGINIA CENTER,” (FAIRFAX COUNTY TAX MAP # 0403-02-0092A) TO CONVERGE WEST FALLS, LLC; AND TO APPROVE THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS

All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-2485014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www.fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. Public comments may also be sent to 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

Request For Proposals (RFP) RFP No. 0810-22-VPS

Vehicle OEM Parts and/or Services City of Falls Church

ELECTRONIC Submission of Proposals will be accepted by the City of Falls Church Purchasing Agent, James Wise (jwise@ fallschurchva.gov), for the provision of Vehicle OEM Parts and/or Services.

Due date for electronic submission of Proposals is Wednesday, 08/10/22 @ 1:00 PM. The RFP which includes all details and requirements may be downloaded from the City’s procurement website: www. fallschurchva.gov/Bids.

For more information and/or questions regarding this RFP, contact the City’s Purchasing Agent via email jwise@fallschurchva.gov. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability,

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-877-591-9950 RECRUITMENT

HIRING? Promote job listings regionally or statewide! Affordable Print and Digital Advertising Solutions reaching potential

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

candidates. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

SERVICES

55plus.info/vapress

Faces of Falls Church

While combing the aisles of Staples on West Broad to feed my pen addiction, I bumped into Gerson who has been working at that location for the last 6 months. Born to Venezualan parents, Gerson has spent his whole life in the Little City. When asked about how he feels about all the changes Falls Church has gone through recently, he replied, “There’s a lot going on here, but it makes it more vibrant.”

( Photo: J. Michael Whalen)

BACK IN THE DAY

Falls Church News-Press Vol. VII, No. 17 • July 10, 1997

City Youth Charged in Stabbing Incident

Also Suspected in Vandalism Case

A Falls Church 17-year old charged with malicious wounding in connection with a stabbing at the 7-11 on N. West St. last week and two of his friends who were with him at the scene of that crime have been identified as the same youths involved in two recent incidents of vandalism and defamation.

Falls Church News-Press

Vol. XXII, No. 21 • July 19, 2012

Massive ‘Mosaic’ Mixed-Use Center Ready to Open Doors in Merrifield

With long-awaited improvements to the intersection of Gallows Road and Lee Highway expected to be completed this weekend, merchants and restaurants in the massive “Mosaic” mixed-use mini city in the center of Merrifield will begin opening doors for business by Labor Day.

Critter Corner

Something Else

BY TED WHITE FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Slaughter realized he’d fallen backward on the office couch, and was now lying down, Dr. Savage looming over him. An oddly dusty odor filled his nostrils.

He stared up at the androgyn’s face. They locked eyes. “I’ve brought you here for a conversation,” Dr. Savage said, gesturing at the greensward. Slaughter looked around and realized the vast park looked familiar. Where was the little girl who had been looking for her cat?

Savage’s eyes bored into him, even as he realized Savage and the woman who had come to his office were one and the same...alien. Each had created the same hallucination for him. Could he make any use of this?

“A conversation?” he asked.

Savage chuckled. “Not a therapeutic conversation. I need to get full access to your mind. This is a nice secluded spot for it.”

“It’s not all that secluded,” Slaughter said. “Look — here’s someone’s family cat.” He pointed at the large male tabby that was rubbing against his legs affectionately. “And I know a girl is looking for him.”

Savage frowned. “That cat doesn’t belong here. Neither does she.”

“You found the family cat!” exclaimed the small girl, flashing Slaughter a smile of gratitude. She unceremoniously picked up the cat as if picking up a rag doll, slinging it over her shoulder. The cat surprised Slaughter by not resisting this treatment.

“Stick around,” Slaughter told her. He found her presence comforting, oddly reassuring. He glanced at Savage to see how the androgynslash-alien was taking this exchange, and when he looked back the small girl and her cat were gone.

Savage gave him a cold smile. “That didn’t work, did it?”

Slaughter looked around. The lawn-like greensward extended in every direction for meters, maybe kilometers, unobstructed by any plant or man-made feature until it reached the distant treeline.

It was empty of animals or people, except for the two of them. There was no sign of the girl or her cat. Overhead, the sky was improbably blue — Slaughter had never seen a blue sky, although he’d heard of them — and cloudless. Everything was sunlit, but there was no visible sun in the sky.

“It’s all a construct, isn’t it?” Slaughter said. “You assembled the units — grass, sky — but you forgot the sun. Kinda sloppy, huh?”

“Does it matter? It’s a nice, quiet place where we won’t be interrupted.”

“I’m not so sure of that. How about her?” Slaughter gestured at an approaching figure. It was Callie. He was proud of himself for accomplishing this. The construct might be Savage’s, but they were inside his, Jack Slaughter’s, head and this gave him some measure of control.

“Hey,” Callie said, lifting her hand in greeting. “Doc Slaughter,” she nodded at him, “and the alien. Thought I’d killed you.”

Savage glowered at her. “You did. Fortunately, I can exist simultaneously in more than one form, or body. You can kill one of my bodies, but not me.”

“Huh,” Callie said. “Just like pimples. Squash one and another pops up.”

“I don’t care for your comparison,” Savage said.

“Well, you wouldn’t, would you?” Callie said. “But you’re worse than a pimple, aren’t you? You’re evil. You’re an alien.”

“Is that one a them aliens?”

“Typhoon” Johnny asked, pointing a stubby finger at Savage.

Slaughter felt a surge of exultation. “Yes,” he said. “Do you recognize him?”

“Nah. I tole ya, they looks all different ev’ry time.”

“But you recognize Johnny, don’t you?” Slaughter asked Savage. “You being all the same alien, I mean.” Savage looked distinctly uncomfortable. He was outnumbered now, three to one.

“You’re being very difficult,” he said to Slaughter. “This is so unnecessary.”

Slaughter glanced at Callie and Johnny. Johnny was eyeing Callie’s bare breasts with obvious approval, and Callie was backing away from him. Slaughter looked back at Savage, whose face was now relaxed and confident, and realized what the alien was doing.

Flexing mental muscles he’d never known he had, Slaughter fought back. Johnny turned away from Callie and glowered at Savage. “Why’d you want me to spread disease?” he asked. Slaughter realized he’d cleaned up Johnny’s syntax, but it didn’t concern him. The point was to return Johnny’s focus to Savage.

“It was just an experiment,” Savage said, his tone conciliatory.

“There was no disease in those bottles. I just wanted to improve the smell of your neighborhood.”

“Experiment?” Johnny exploded. “You experimentin’ on me?” That was good — Slaughter hadn’t had to make him say that.

“And he messes with your mind!” Callie interjected, confronting Savage. Slaughter looked up and the sky turned from blue to gray. Black clouds scudded overhead. Yes! He could do this!

Savage had noticed the change in the light. He was staring intently at Slaughter. Those eyes! Slaughter knew he had to act immediately. There would be no second chance.

The air around them turned white and there was an immediate concussive blast.

The bolt of lightning struck where Savage had been standing. Slaughter’s last view of the alien was of an irregular globule with writhing tentacles that seemed to shed sparks before disintegrating.

Slaughter sat up. He was once again on the couch in Savage’s office. There was no sign of Dr. Savage. Nor of Callie or Johnny — but he hadn’t expected to see them here. His concern was Savage. Had what happened in his mindscape been real enough to affect the real Savage? Or had it all been metaphorical, like a dream?

He walked to the office window. The view was mostly of similar tall towers, little sky visible. But what sky he could see was reassuringly a milky pale yellow.

He poked around Savage’s office, but found nothing of importance. It was like a generic office, containing only the usual office items — a sealer, some bit-batteries — and, perhaps significantly, no handi except his own.

#

“Just thought you’d like to know,” Sheanokia told Slaughter the next afternoon as she stopped to lounge against his office door frame. “Security has dismissed all charges against that California woman. So she’ll be your client again.”

He glanced at his handi and saw Callie was back on his schedule.

“What about the other one?

‘Typhoon’ Johnny?” There was no sign of the man on his schedule.

“Moved downstate to Reagan. Seriously nuts. Been off his meds too long.”

Slaughter sighed. He’d been looking forward to seeing the man again.

“And there’s a new client for you. She’ll be added to your schedule tomorrow. Name’s Avarice Jones — pretty name, don’t you think?”

Slaughter stared at her. “Avarice means a greed for riches. I have no idea why anyone would name their child that.”

“Maybe they just thought it was pretty,” Sheanokia said, shaking her head as if brushing his comment off. “You know, a pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“Is she?”

“Who? Avarice Jones? I don’t know. I haven’t seen her. But all babies are pretty.”

Slaughter did not agree with her, but chose not to tell her that and she left.

Alone, his office door now closed and locked, Slaughter consulted his handi.

Where was Dr. Kenneth Savage?

Not available. Gone from his practice. Not found at his aptower. Missing from his favorite off-hours watering holes. He’d left behind a Dr. Kenneth Savage-sized hole, a vacuum.

What did that mean? Well, it meant Slaughter had gotten a good night’s sleep, that’s what it meant. He wasn’t delusional. He wasn’t hallucinating. He could almost shut the door on the previous day’s bizarre events. Almost. Dr. Savage remained inexplicably missing. That much was not a delusion. And what did that mean?

There was a tentative knock on his door. He pressed the release and it opened. A man in a service uniform

stood there with a cleaning machine. Slaughter realized that it had gotten late, his windows darkly mirroring the small office.

“Working late, huh?” the man said, wheeling his machine in.

“Yeah,” Slaughter said. “Usually I’m out of here by now, but this week has been something else.”

It was later than he usually took the tube home but it seemed just as crowded.

No one returned his searching gaze and the ride was uneventful. So was the rest of his evening, and he climbed into his pneumatic cradle with relief to be done with the day and quickly fell asleep.

But in dreams he would not remember on waking, he stood again in the middle of that vast greensward, confronted by a rather diminished and bedraggled-looking Kenneth Savage, who insisted again and again that he needed full access to Slaughter’s mind — his thoughts and memories.

Slaughter resisted Savage throughout the night as they verbally dueled on the greensward. But at the end Savage told him, “I am relentless. I will return every night. Sooner or later you will tire of your resistance. Sooner or later I will win.”

“No,” Slaughter said, “you will not. This is my dream and I’m in control.”

Savage laughed mockingly and Slaughter woke up, feeling less refreshed by his night’s sleep than he’d expected. But at least no space aliens had kept him awake all night.

IN HIS HEAD HE SAW pretty flashes of colorful lights.

This is the fourth and final part of a short story by well-known science fiction writer Ted White, a long-time resident of the City of Falls Church. — Editor

One level living in this Tremont Gardens bungalow! Updated kitchen with granite countertops, Samsung gas stove and refrigerator (2021), Bosch dishwasher (2016), double sink, and access to the laundry room with Samsung washer and dryer (2015). Large living room with fireplace, skylight, built-ins, and French doors lead to the deck and backyard. The 2nd and 3rd bedrooms, with hardwood floors, share a full bath. The primary suite has hardwood floors and a large walk-in closet with built-in organizers. The updated primary bath has a large shower, heated floors, and a skylight (2016). Skylights in bathroom and living room. The sunroom has built-ins, cathedral ceilings, ceiling fan, glass block windows, and French doors to the deck. The front yard is fenced and the backyard features a swing set/playground and oversized shed. Off-street parking for 4+ cars! This home is located in a very convenient location! Close to the City of Falls Church and Mosaic, with shopping, restaurants, and entertainment! $660,000, 2903 Fairmont St, Falls Church, VA 22042.

703-626-3257

merelyn@kayes.com

Buying or selling there is no substitute for experience.