A surprisingly large turnout of more than three dozen citizens at the Mary Riley Styles public library this Tuesday was introduced to the onset of a predicted six-month process to bring the City of Falls Church up to speed with neighboring jurisdictions on making the addition of “accessory dwellings” on existing single family home lots easier and more apt to happen.
While draft legislation to accomplish this has not yet been penned (a first draft from the City’s Planning Department is slated for September), the premiere session this week was intended to set the stage with options and a timeline for gaining City Council approval. A second presentation, scheduled to present the same information as the first, will also be held at the library, this time at 2:30 p.m. this Sunday, July 28.
F.C. Planning Director Paul Stoddard and senior planner Jack
FALLS CHURCH ‘LAKE’
“Kamala is a great lawyer and when she stands on that stage with a convicted felon, that’s a huge contrast. But I’ll tell you the other contrast I think might even be more palpable to voters. Yesterday versus today and tomorrow. Donald Trump is yesterday’s chaos and why would we go back to it? Kamala and her running mate are going to represent today and tomorrow.” So Virginia’s U.S. Senator Tim Kaine said on national television this week.
Falls Church’s Favorite Son Congressman Don Beyer issued a more lengthy written statement within hours of President Biden’s withdrawal from the race and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Beyer wrote and published the following: “President Joe Biden is a great American. Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first. I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.
“Joe Biden took office amid the deadliest pandemic in a century, the worst economic decline since the Great Depression, and one of the worst attacks on our democracy in American history. He guided our nation back to normalcy and health, presided over the strongest and fastest economic recovery in history, and achieved bipartisan legislative victories many dismissed as ‘impossible’ in our divided society.
“President Biden’s historic record of job creation and low unemployment, the revitaliza -
tion of our manufacturing sector, the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Chips and Science Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Respect For Marriage Act, and so many other accomplishments will create an incredible and enduring legacy upon which the eyes of history will look with favor. During President Biden’s remaining months in office I will continue
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25 - 31, 2024
Nature, Other Themes Abound in Fall Church Arts’ All Member Show
by Mark Dreisonstok
The Fall Church Arts Gallery is currently presenting part two of its All Member Show, this time with artists’ last names beginning M-Z. For an exhibition which is focused on presenting its members and not a particular topic, the show nonetheless has artworks which can be grouped into discernible interesting themes, including music, comics, and, in particular, nature.
With examples in nature such as birds chirping like flutes and the thunder of the sky pounding like drums, how can a pelican not feel inspired to conduct nature’s harmonious sounds? The nature photographer Ann Cameron Siegal in her photograph “The Conductor” captures a white pelican striking a musical pose on a rock, its conductor’s podium. The pelican waves its wings pridefully in the air as if preparing for the downbeat. Photographer Siegal notes while taking the picture of the pelican in a conductor’s pose that she “envisioned an orchestra playing Handel’s Water Music.”
If you relish seeing a pelican conduct nature’s orchestra, you are sure to marvel at and be charmed by an elephant swimming as it blows
bubbles up as a large moon hovers above the still ocean water in Nancy M Patrick’s acrylic “Elephant Swimming.”
Travel is also a theme of the show, as in “The Old Granery,” a water-color by Diane Trent which takes place in the historic German town of Passau, “situated on the Blue Danube.” Visit a bazaar in Iran in Masoud Seivani’s lovingly detailed watercolor “The Heartbeat of Isfahan.” Sandi Parker’s colorful oil painting of “Flower Market, Southern France” continues our tour around the world. Closer to home, gallery visitors will find Tony Neville’s watercolor of “Mount Vernon” resonates with local experience and national history, whereas Bob Wentworth’s somewhat Impressionist watercolor “Spring Bloom, Van Gogh Bridge, Reston” juxtaposes European and Northern Virginia sensibilities.
Nature and solitude can be enjoyed in Judith Ortiz’ “Remembering,” a watercolor recalling “the summer sky above [evoking] the rushing water below,” as the exhibit card aptly describes the work. Nature is in great motion in Jennifer Tallarico’s oil painting “Breezy Day On The Coast.” The thick texture on
the canvas gives the painting a sense of richness in the lush landscape and rushing seascape. The cool tones of the background’s sky and water create a sense of depth. The visible brushstrokes render the image somewhat Impressionist as well.
A very striking photographic artwork is “Superstition Mountain.” Here a small church hidden in the Arizona desert showcases the majesty of nature and God’s power as the church spire seems to reach up into the brooding sky where a storm threatens. The eye is drawn to the intricate woodwork along the eaves of the roof, these deeply detailed sections contrasting the otherwise simple vertical clapboard of the church. Another parallel of the image is the three layers in the stack that is the ground, the mountains, and the sky. The mountains, being particularly dark, make for a powerful visual separation between the sky and the ground, exerting something of an illusionary force pushing the church into the foreground. All of this, combined with the use of a very Western gritty touch of potent sepia, lends the work a magical touch of classic cowboy films.
“Stay near me—do not take thy flight!” writes William Wordsworth
in his poem “To a Butterfly.”
Butterfly-themed paintings which may recall the poet’s words include George McClennan’s photographic study “Butterflies & Flowers No. 1,” the “monarch milieu” of Dory Teipel’s mixed-media “Rose Bee,” and Suzanne Updike’s reduction linocut “Swallowtail.”
While artworks in the Western tradition often draw from classical mythology and classic literature, in the M-Z Member Show, the narrative references are often to comics. Watch Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder swing into action in Jennifer Murphy’s “Pieces of the Dynamic Duo!” She has assembled and left, at times, unassembled pieces of a jigsaw puzzle image of an early Batman comic book on a traditional canvas. On the more genteel side of comics, Todd Schvaneveldt offers us an eponymous acrylic based on the 1950’s French comic “Mireille,” presenting fashion stylistics from the era in which this comic book first appeared. Nine Wells Prystay also taps into an agreeable comic-art style in her acrylic/pen/mohair “Nina Beside Herself.”
These and other themes, running the gamut even to Shaun van Steyn’s social-commentary photog-
raphy “Special Interests,” are on view through August 18, 2024. They can be enjoyed at Falls Church Arts Gallery, 700-B West Broad Street (Route 7), Falls Church, Virginia.
TODD SCHVANEVELDT’S ‘MIREILLE!’
(Photo: Falls Church Arts)
ANN SIEGAL’S ‘THE CONDUCTOR’ (Photo: Falls Church Arts)
Affordable Assisted Living for Seniors & Persons with Disabilities
Sunrise Senior Living Program:
Reduced rate for room and board for eligible City of Falls Church residents, aged 62+, with low to moderate incomes.
Persons with disabilities under 62 may be eligible.
The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act This document will be made available in an alternate format upon request Call 703-248-5005 (TTY 711)
AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS For Rent For Rent
Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program: BRAND NEW, below market rate, studio and 1- and 2- bedroom rental units in the City of Falls Church for eligible households. Monthly rents as low as $913 (based on income and eligibility requirements).
Contact Housing and Human Services to be added to the ADU waitlist. (703) 248-5005 (TTY 711) hhsinfo@fallschurchva.gov
The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act This document will be made available in an alternate format upon request Call 703-248-5005 (TTY 711)
Dental Clinic
Open Waiting List for Referrals to the Northern Virginia Dental Clinic
Associated with the Northern Virginia Dental Society
Staffed by licensed dentists and professional hygienists
Contact Us to Schedule an Appointment!
To schedule an intake appointment or for more information, contact City of Falls Church, Housing and Human Services at (703) 248-5005 (TTY 711).
The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act This document will be made available in an alternate format upon request Call 703-248-5005 (TTY 711)
AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP IN THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH
Eligible buyers can receive up to $250,000 off on select homes.
Trainor were on hand to lead this Tuesday’s initial presentation.
They began with a definition of what constitutes an “accessory dwelling” (AD) being “smaller, additional dwelling units on the same lot as a single family home... that includes a kitchen, bathroom and entrance.”
While all surrounding jurisdictions have updated their zoning laws to permit the addition of ADs in the recent period, Falls Church is just now getting started. And the large turnout Tuesday suggests the City may be in for another donnybrook like the two-year fight over modification of the City’s slim transitional zones (t-zones) that was finally resolved by a 5-2 vote of the Council last fall.
But the issues are certainly different, and there are plenty of upsides for City homeowners with this proposed improvement. Namely, with home prices skyrocketing here, ADs offer the potential for homeowners to supplement their incomes by renting out ADs on their own home properties to offset the rising costs.
Also, the much smaller homes will make living in Falls Church
affordable for many people beyond the immediate families of individual builders (a popular term for ADs is “granny flats” meaning that they can be used to house inlaws), and beyond their use as occasional short term rentals, as in an “Airbnb” use, to become affordable homes for young families who otherwise couldn’t afford to live here.
A glowing endorsement for the move came from a woman at Tuesday’s meeting who is now a City resident but hails from San Diego, California, where, she said, they are called “casitas” and “everybody loves them.”
While Stoddard noted that 73 percent of the City’s land area is within the three residentially-zoned areas of Falls Church that would qualify for ADs, others, including a developer of such entities present, said that their construction is not cheap, and only a couple dozen, at most, might actually be built. But that view did not take into consideration the financial resources of City residents and changing trends in the market, where there is currently a significant housing shortage, and especially of housing that is affordable to a wider range of people.
Trainor explained that there are four common types of ADs, starting with a completely detached building, then an entirely interior apartment (with a separate entrance), a bump-out of an existing primary residence, and a garage conversion. Variations of interior units could be in attics or basements.
The three main benefits of ADs that Stoddard and Trainor identified were 1. They provide an “aging in place” option for local residents (“ADs can provide families with housing options for family members that may need to live nearby,” they said), 2. They offer the prospects of supplemental income for homeowners (“Homeowners may enjoy supplemental income by renting their ADs”), and 3. They enhance diversity (“ADs provide smaller, less expensive housing options than typical detached single-family homes that are ideal for 1 to 3 person households”).
Current zoning regulations, they noted, “are highly restrictive compared to other housing forms in the City. For example, they are currently allowed within an existing, detached single-family home, such as a basement or second floor, and require approval by the Board of
Zoning Appeals.”
Among the issues that Stoddard and Trainor are seeking public input about relate to permitted locations, design elements (including setbacks, height, size and lot acreage limits), occupancy and short term rental limits if any, and parking.
In Arlington, for example, short term rental uses require a permit and in Alexandria it is limited to 120 days, while Fairfax County, like Falls Church, has no restrictions currently. Parking currently requires one additional space on the lot.
Questions raised at Tuesday’s meeting dealt with the extent to which the City will promote this use, parking, how ADs would be taxed, has it worked well in other jurisdictions, has there been any serious pushback, and who are the people that can live there (for Falls Church it is currently limited to those “related by blood or marriage” or otherwise up to eight others).
As currently projected, the process is expected to conclude with a final City Council vote on February 25, 2025.
CHIEF CITY Planner Paul Stoddard (left) shows AD ideas at Tuesday’s meeting. (News-Press Photo)
to do all I can to help build on his extraordinary record of achievements for the country.
“The past few weeks have been very difficult, but I am proud to be a member of a party that tolerates dissent. We are not a cult of personality where any disagreement results in threats or purges. Democrats are not afraid to allow hard conversations and tough choices, and we are stronger for it.
“In that spirit, I look forward to a fair and open nomination process to choose the next Democratic nominee. As that process unfolds, I will support Vice President Kamala Harris, who already brings strength, compassion, and vision to the office and the ticket. Vice President Harris’ leadership and experience make her uniquely qualified to serve as President, and I am proud to endorse her to be President Biden’s successor. I look forward to doing all I can in the months ahead to
defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as President of the United States.”
Earlier this week, the Falls Church City Democratic committee chair Jeff Person issued a statement in solid support of Kamala Harris for president. He cited the words of Virginia Democratic Party chair Susan Swecker, saying,
“This is an incredible moment for the country and our Falls Church committee. The Democratic Party of Virginia Chair Susan Swecker said it best:
“‘President Joe Biden has been one of the most transformative and effective presidents in history. In 2020, he ran with a promise to restore the soul of our nation, and he did just that. He has — and will continue to — deliver on his campaign promises that have changed the lives of millions of Americans by leading us out of the pandemic, and rebuilding our economy, and reestablishing America’s position as a trusted global leader. President Biden
We
has never been in politics for himself. Though his decision not to run is painful for so many of us, it represents his greatest quality: unwavering patriotism and service to the American people. Joe Biden’s decision to step aside is one that we deeply respect.’
“DPVA Chair Swecker joined President Biden in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to be our nominee for President.”
The following statement came from Cathy Renna, communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force:
“The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund today endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. The organization has not endorsed a presidential candidate since its founding in 1973, when they endorsed President Jimmy Carter.
“The following can be attributed to Kierra Johnson, President, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund:
“‘Our decision to endorse Kamala Harris is not simply his -
toric, it is a bold statement about what this election means for the future of LGBTQ+ people in
Mark A. Miller, DDS, Melanie R. Love, DDS
Since 1991, an award-winning LGBT-owned general Interest community newspaper.
Vol. XXXIV, No. 24
July 25 - 31, 2024
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In last week’s News-Press we mistakenly ran the wrong picture in the Bio section for Kelly Thompson. This is the correct inmage of Kelly Thompson below.
The News-Press quoted Alison Miller incorrectly in last week’s front page story on the state of the Real Estate market. The quote should have been atributied to a member of the audience.
Letters to Editor
Please Reconsider Falls Plaza Bike Path
Editor,
We love our little slice of FCC. We have tiny front porches, small patches of grass, and some beautiful trees that are shared by over 70 units in Falls Plaza. We love to sit on our porches and work or relax, as I am sure most of you do in your homes.
So to say we were heartbroken, is an understatement, when we found out that Falls Church City is going to build a 1.5 million dollar bike path 15 feet from our front doors.
We the residents of Falls Plaza live in one of the few affordable condos in Falls Church City. We have citizens who have lived here for decades and the city did not consult one individual owner regarding this path.
The path, while planned to serve students to cut through, would only serve a very small population. The city is negligent in not preforming a proper survey as to how many residents this would actually serve. Also the city planners did not consider any other options except to ask Giant if they could build it behind the shopping center. (they said no due to the truck traffic).
There are other good options that serve more people, and impact homeowners and home values less. The path could for example go up Haycock and down Grove, allowing all the -
schools, the residents of multiple neighborhoods, and Metro users to access the WO& D trail. The path could cross to the existing path down Shreve Rd. and connect to the path. Or both.
Please do better Falls Church City Council; please do not tear down our tiny little slice of green and pave it over. There are other options that are better — with the money better spent.
Elizabeth Cunningham Editor,
As a Virginia At-Large National Delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention and Chair of the Falls Church City Democratic Committee, I am honored to share a moment of historic significance that the last few days have brought. President Joe Biden, recognizing the importance of true patriotism and true humility, has graciously stepped aside and “passed the torch” to Vice President Kamala Harris. This marks the end of over 50 years of public service to the American people. President Biden’s presidency has been historically significant, marked by his steadfast commitment to unity and progress, particularly in navigating unprecedented challenges such as restoring the
on Page 22
FALLS CHURCH NEWS BRIEFS
F.C. Ellie Bird Restaurant Named Region’s ‘Best New’
Ellie Bird in Falls Church was honored as the “Best New Restaurant of the Year” among the 2024 Restaurant Association of the D.C. Region’s RAMMY Awards this week. The Falls Church Office of Economic Development hailed the news, saying the restaurant “is celebrated as a standout in the City, winning over diners with its innovative menu and inviting ambiance. This new gem in our Little City has established a lofty culinary excellence and creativity standard.” The restaurant blends contemporary European and Asian cuisines.
Other RAMMY winners nearby Falls Church included Fava Pot just outside the City on Route 29, an Egyptian restaurant that won an award for Favorite Fast Bites, and Colada Shop, a Caribbean spot with a location in Merrifield’s Mosaic District, which was named the area’s Hottest Sandwich Shop. Also, the team behind the Tex-Mex restaurant Ometeo in Tysons, was honored with a Restaurateur of the Year award.
The awards were presented at the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala, which was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.
Levine Music & City Dance Sign On at West Falls
Hoffman and Associates has announced this week that the Levine Music and CityDance Studios have signed on to the growing West Falls neighborhood, burgeoning 10 acres at the City’s west end.
The 8,000-square-foot Levine Music location and the 5,000-square-foot CityDance Studios location will occupy the ground-floor retail space of The Oak condominiums at 255 West Falls Church Blvd.
Both Levine Music and CityDance Studios are slated to open in January 2025, adding to the wide variety of community offerings in the dynamic West Falls neighborhood adjacent Meridian High School and Henderson Middle School.
F.C.’s Westergard Announces Retirement from Aerial Imaging
F.C. resident and business person Curt Westergard will be retiring and selling his aerial imaging firm, he announced this week.
He has logged 25 years of aerially analyzing and documenting the growth of F.C., Manhattan and San Francisco. His business, specialized inventions and intellectual property is going on the auction block this fall, he has reported.
Sen. Warner Introduces Tax Relief for Working Artists
Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina this week introduced legislation to provide tax relief to working artists. The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2024 would allow certain performing artists to deduct the cost of expenses incurred in the course of their employment.
The Qualified Performing Artist tax deduction is currently only available to those making less than $16,000 a year. The new legislation would update and increase the income ceiling to $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married joint filers.
Fentanyl Pusher Indicted For Importation Conspiracy
A Chinese national was indicted for his part in a conspiracy involving the importation of what is believed to be the largest amount of fentanyl precursors found in the Southern District of Texas and one of the largest in the country.
Minsu Fang, 48, also known as Fernando, was charged in a four-count indictment.
“To end the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) starts where the harm begins – with the Chinese chemical companies and the individuals that are selling chemicals to those who make and sell the fentanyl that is killing Americans,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
McKay Hails Virginia’s Top Ranking for Business
Virginia is America’s Top State for Business in 2024 according to CNBC’s annual state competitiveness rankings. This is the sixth year that Virginia has earned this title and the third victory in the past five years. Virginia has previously been named America’s Top State for Business by CNBC in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, and 2021.
Fairfax County Supervisors’ Chair Jeff McKay observed that Falls Church neigh bor “Fairfax County is the economic engine of the best state in the country for business. There are many reasons people want to live in Fairfax County and businesses want to locate here, and our Board is committed to building on our economic success. We are strengthening our economy through being a welcom ing and inclusive place to live and work and by investing in major priorities like our high-quality public services and our Fairfax County Public Schools.”
For The Fashion Industry, Sports Stars are the New Superstars
by Vanessa Friedman The New York Times
In the late 1990s, something strange started happening on the covers of glossy magazines. Instead of models, movie stars increasingly became the faces of choice. By 1998, Linda Wells, then the editor of beauty magazine Allure , announced to her staff, “Nobody cares about models anymore.”
A quarter century later, we are at another tipping point. Actors are out, and athletes are in. And not just in the world of menswear, which has long embraced the sports world as part of the fashion world for reasons related to long-held gender stereotypes, but in all worlds.
“Sports stars are the new Hollywood stars,” said Jens Grede, a co-founder of Skims, a brand that reached a $4 billion valuation in four years in part by focusing campaigns
and a host of WNBA standouts, including Skylar Diggins-Smith and Cameron Brink.
“We live in the era of hyperpersonalization,” Grede said, speaking at a conference about sports and fashion organized by The New York Times in Paris this month ahead of the Summer Olympics. “My content feed looks tremendously different from yours or anyone else’s.
As people, as a community, as society, we have fewer and fewer big cultural touch points. Sports might be the only place today where we meet across age, racial, social-economic, religious or political lines. So sport has become an important unifying force.”
Antoine Arnault, the head of image and environment for LVMH, said at the Times event that he believes athletes “are probably even more emotionally connected to everyone” than famous names from film
tion is about more than simply replacing one kind of celebrity with another. Rather it reflects a deeper shift in how we define and consume culture and how we structure community. And it has altered the balance of power between personal brand and actual brand.
The Talent Arms Race
As movies — and, more pertinently, movie theaters — have splintered under the weight of streaming services and new forms of entertainment, they have been replaced as hubs of shared cultural experience by concerts and sports events. But the most powerful musical artists, names like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, have consciously chosen not to ally themselves with brands in any formal way, instead spreading their influence among many. As a result, athletes, who for years played a smaller role in fashion (perhaps because their strength and size played against fashion prejudice) have stepped to the fore.
“Who is the most-followed person on Instagram?” Arnault
asked rhetorically. “Cristiano Ronaldo. Second-most followed? Lionel Messi. They have 1 billion followers between the two of them. They create a link with their audience that cannot really be found elsewhere.”
Little wonder that fashion, increasingly a part of pop culture, has taken notice. An arms race has begun for talent.
At this year’s Met Gala, Maria Sharapova, Dwyane Wade, Ben Simmons and Angel Reese walked the red carpet alongside hosts Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez. This month, Sha’Carri Richardson is on the digital cover of Vogue , and Vogue World, held in Paris this year, featured Serena and Venus Williams, Joe Burrow and Victor Wembanyama in runway roles. Simone Biles has appeared twice on the cover of Vogue , and Serena Williams has done so three times.
The front rows of Louis Vuitton and Prada are rife with athletes. Vuitton’s most recent heritage ad campaign starred Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal; Gucci billboards currently feature Jannik Sinner.
LVMH, as part of its sponsorship of the Paris Games, has signed five Olympic athletes as faces of its brands, including swimmer Léon Marchand and rugby player Antoine Dupont. Dior has gone even further, with a stable of 18 athletes as ambassadors.
At the same time, athletes have stopped thinking of themselves in purely performance terms and have begun to follow the influencer playbook. With Instagram, YouTube and X, Grede said, they have the ability to build large networks around their fame and influence that wasn’t available in the past. Especially because athletes, compared with other celebrities, have so many more opportunities to do so.
Fashion Builds Brands
“You have one concert or one fashion event — or New York Fashion Week,” said Candace Parker, a former WNBA star and the first president of Adidas
Continued on Page 15
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How to Feed 15,000 Olympians in Paris? Start With Baguettes
by Priya Krishna The New York Times
PARIS — The unforgettable moment when a competing athlete first enters the Olympic Village in Paris may be defined not by the complex’s impressive size and sweep, but by a smell: the scent of freshly baked baguettes.
This is by design.
“Every French village has a bakery,” said Guillaume Thomas, who works in communications for the Paris Olympics. “We want people to be able to smell the baguette as they enter.”
A boulangerie set up at the mouth of the village will churn out more than 2,000 baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat and focaccia daily, and even offer baking classes for athletes seeking respite from the grueling competition.
For the 15,000 Olympic athletes competing this summer, food is vital for optimizing performance. The French would like to sprinkle in some delight.
The centerpiece of the sprawling Olympic Village, once a power plant and then a film studio, is a network of six restaurants that will serve athletes around the clock. Yes, restaurants. Or so the organizers call the places known as dining halls at past Olympics.
“It was out of the question to call it anything else,” said Philipp Würz, the food and beverage manager for the Olympics.
At the end of a of a grand runway lined with flags from every delegation stands the 46,000-square-foot restaurant complex, with towering ceilings and imposing windows overlooking the Seine. But inside, it looks a lot like a college cafeteria. There are cereal dispensers, soda fountains and buffets among red floor tiles and kitschy decorations, like a colorful installation of pipes adorned with graffiti and cartoon eyes.
What a college cafeteria does not have, though, are three chefs of famed French restaurants — Akrame Benallal, Amandine Chaignot and Alexandre Mazzia
— who will prepare dishes like coco beans with parsley ice cream and crispy mushroom croquettes.
The staff will wear polos and gavroche caps. There will be cheese plates and French butter. The dishware is French porcelain, to be washed in three colossal dishwashers built for the Games.
In late June, Sodexo Live, the French food-service company overseeing this operation, conducted a tasting for the media of the dizzying array of dishes to be served at the Olympic Village, including green gazpacho (refreshing), saffron risotto (vibrant and creamy), falafel (well spiced but dry) and financiers (a tad too sweet).
But there’s a difficult balance to strike between showcasing the French lifestyle and serving 40,000 meals a day that must cater to countless athletic, cultural and dietary requirements.
Sodexo brought in 20 of its chefs from around the world to ensure cultural sensitivity in the six restaurants. Two of the restaurants are French, two are Asian, one is halal and one is
simply called “world.”
Carole Galissant, who works in nutrition at Sodexo Live, coordinated with nutritionists from each delegation to ensure specific needs were met. The Koreans wanted kimchi. The Japanese wanted miso. Not all requests could be fulfilled. Several Caribbean nations asked for passion fruit, but sustainability regulations for the Games prohibit importing ingredients by air.
“We are still placing a special focus on the French recipes,” Galissant said. “Blanquette de veau, lemon tart, Paris-Brest.”
But many athletes may never get to try those dishes.
“The rule of thumb is to try to stick to what is familiar as much as possible and minimize the new,” said Purity Kamande, a nutritionist for the Kenyan Olympic team. “Because we know that with the new, all these issues could come and affect them.”
With that in mind, she is shipping a package to Paris containing Kenyan comforts like ugali, a carbohydrate-heavy cornmeal, and Kericho Gold tea.
Shawn Hueglin, a senior sports dietitian for the United States Olympic Committee, said the Americans mailed protein shakes, pretzels, popcorn, jerky, energy bars and, of course, peanut butter for their athletes.
Hueglin, who has worked at four Summer Olympics, said the host country will sometimes focus on promoting its cuisine at the expense of meeting athletes’ performance needs. While she appreciated that the dining hall at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics served food from every region of Japan, “they weren’t the best options for athletes to grab before they went to compete,” she said.
Sharon Madigan, who oversees nutrition for the Irish Olympic team, has a different perspective. “These are great opportunities for athletes who may not have a wide palate to try foods that they would not usually have, and like them and enjoy them,” she said.
With one caveat: The Irish need their porridge. “Porridge
Continued on Page 11
Athletes Excited To Socialize In The Olympic Village Restaurants
Continued from Page 10
is something that the French really don’t do very well, or don’t do at all,” she said. “We are bringing oats. Lots of them.”
Madigan said her athletes were excited to socialize in the Olympic Village restaurants, especially after the limited communal dining in Tokyo, during the pandemic. Thankfully, the French are very familiar with the art of gathering.
“Here in France, we talk about conviviality, about eating together, and that is also an element of an athlete’s performance,” said Galissant, the Sodexo nutritionist.
Brice Guyart, a two-time gold medalist in fencing who has been consulting with athletes to help fine-tune their experience at the Paris Olympics, said he has always loved that everyone at the Games can eat in one place, no matter the athlete or the nation. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, he went to the dining hall at 1 a.m. right after winning the gold and
befriended Shinichi Shinohara, a Japanese silver medalist in judo.
Guyart had several requests for the Sodexo Live team based on his experiences: Don’t make the plates too big, or athletes will overeat. Keep the temperature moderate, as diners at the Sydney and Athens Olympics had to wear coats in the cafeterias. He also suggested that the
chefs make cakes for athletes celebrating birthdays. “It’s the little things,” he said.
Guyart said that along with winning gold in Athens, he fondly remembers the Greek salad at the cafeteria, with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, and big chunks of briny feta.
“That’s my Proust madeleine,” he said.
Benallal, one of the restaurant
chefs cooking at the Village, is hoping he can conjure up some similarly evocative moments for the Paris athletes.
“They for sure have nutritional needs,” he said. “But also maybe sometimes, they can have pleasure.”
SODEXO LIVE , is the French food-service company overseeing operations. They have brought in 20 chefs from around the world to ensure cultural sensitivity in the six restaurants (photos: New York Times )
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The Falls
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Brunch
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The Genius Quick Transition to Harris
Nicholas F. Benton
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Whoa, what a week! Those inclined to comment on the nation’s political state of affairs hourly or even more often on social media have produced tons and tons of content in just the last couple of weeks since the near-miss attempt on Trump’s life, the unsettling pick for the GOP v-p candidate, the clownish Republican convention, the withdrawal of President Biden and the rise of Vice President Kamala Harris. Stay tuned, who knows what’s next!
Once the dust begins to settle, if ever, the Democrats will be confronting an incredible challenge between now and November. But the flawless way they’ve handled the hand-off from Biden to Harris so far having been pure genius, I consider their chances good of building momentum for a landslide win in the fall, up and down tickets all across the land.
Who would have guessed in advance that Harris would be so universally and overwhelmingly applauded as the potential new president? What a supremely well coordinated Democratic effort to hit the ground running with her candidacy within minutes of President Biden’s announcement last weekend.
Clearly, behind the scenes the groundwork for this had to have been laid for a much longer period, though in this era of instantaneous communications it was much more possible to do it on short notice. Some day a cavalcade of books will be written about the backstories to this incredible transition week in our nation’s history.
For the time being, I am delighted by the sudden elevation of Harris and the prospects for her victory.
I was firmly in favor of resisting all the pressure on Biden to quit, and was very pleased when my congressman, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, issued a video statement sharing that view last Saturday night. In fact, no federal office holding Democratic leader from Virginia had gone the other way, as even
news reports of Sen. Mark Warner calling for Biden to drop out went unconfirmed and his name did not appear on any lists of that sort as of last weekend.
I posted Rep. Beyer’s statement of support for Biden on the Falls Church News-Press website the minute it came in, and early Sunday I texted Beyer to ask if he planned to write a more lengthy statement on the subject. He soon replied, “It looks like not, sadly.”
I couldn’t figure out his meaning, but the news then broke within minutes that Biden announced his withdrawal. “Ah, I see,” I wrote back, figuring that Biden had succumbed to the growing drumbeat, I added, “How terrible.”
But barely had I posted those words than the great mobilization of support for Harris was unleashed, a torrent unending as of this writing, with $100 million raised in the first day. Thousands of folks, like myself, contributed nominal amounts just to be in on the surge, to say we caught the wave too, surfer style.
It has been a replay of the optimism and enthusiasm that attended the nomination of the BidenHarris team four years ago, which represented a serious chance at knocking out the worst president in the history of the U.S., and its subsequent success.
Acting super quickly last weekend to prevent the Biden announcement from devolving into a morass of self-doubt and confusion, vulnerabilities that the Trump crowd would have feasted amply on, the Democratic leadership (including Beyer) was clearly prepared to spring into action veritably instantaneously to elevate Harris to the exclusion of any delay or other options. Within only a few hours, the die was cast as the dollars were flowing in.
So, suddenly we have a younger woman of color soaring on a trajectory to become President of the United States! Of course, as vice president, she has been just a step away from that for all this time, but her role until now had not been seen with the gravitas it deserved.
Suddenly, Trump is the doddering old guy. Suddenly he’s the guy incapable of completing a sentence or making any sense at all, actually.
Suddenly, as an articulate and passionate woman, Harris is the perfect choice to make the election about women’s reproductive rights and respect for immigrants and all persons of color.
A Penny for Your Thoughts News of Greater Falls Church
By Penny Gross
Last week’s column provided some history about the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and efforts to restore the Bay and its tributaries. Improvements in Bay habitat have been slow to develop, but the partnerships established between the watershed jurisdictions, the federal government, and non-profit organizations have been critical to any success. A new effort to address new advances in science and restoration is underway, with draft recommendations expected to be presented at the Chesapeake Executive Council’s (EC) December meeting.
At a recent Local Government Forum in Ellicott City, Maryland, hosted by the EC’s Local Government Advisory Committee (I represent the Commonwealth of Virginia on LGAC), EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz noted that two words are important for future efforts – opportunity and accelerate. Mr. Ortiz, who has an extensive local government background in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties (Maryland), highlighted improvements in the Susquehanna River basin made by Pennsylvania farmers in the watershed. “Farmers are front-line environmentalists,” he said, a comment
echoed at a Potomac Watershed Roundtable meeting the next day by Westmoreland County Supervisor Woody Hynson, who also is a longtime Rappahannock River Basin farmer. Small family farms are the backbone of American agriculture and farmers know the importance of caring for the land, the water, the forests, and the proper usage of lowtill and no-till processes that reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and other chemical elements in farm fields.
At the Forum, Mr. Ortiz noted that “we don’t always have to be in agreement, but we always have to be in conversation.” Wise words.
The 2024 Chesapeake Bay “report card” issued by the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science earlier this month rated the Bay’s health as C+, its highest rating since 2002. Many goals established for Bay restoration have not been met, but gradual improvements include the largest number of forest buffers planted since 2016 (the unmet goal is 900 acres planted annually). Opening streams and rivers to migratory fish by removing barrier dams and culverts is ahead of schedule by nearly a decade. Since 1988, more than 30,000 miles of waterways have
City of Falls Church CRIME REPORT
Week of July 15 — 21, 2024
Larceny, W Broad St, July 12, 5:21 AM, an unknown suspect stole a new REI Co-op CTY1.1 Step Through bicycle, blue in color, from the victim’s front porch. The unknown suspect is described as a white male in his 40`s, wearing a maroon Washington Redskins t-shirt, black shorts, black shoes, and red surgical mask, with a black backpack and a watch on his left wrist. (Delayed report)
Shoplifting, Wilson Blvd, July 15, 4:06 PM, an unknown suspect stole merchandise without paying. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’9” in height, roughly 170 pounds, slim build, with a shaved head and a goatee, wearing sunglasses, a white t-shirt, brown shorts, black socks, and black shoes.
Possession of Schedule I/II Drug, Resisting Arrest, Roosevelt Blvd, July 15, 6:23 PM, a male, 50, of no fixed address, was arrested for Possession of a Schedule I/II Drug,
Resisting Arrest, and served with an outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction.
No Valid Operator’s License, W Broad St, July 16, 8:53 AM, a male, 32, of Fairfax County, was arrested for No Valid Operator’s License.
Reckless Driving, E Broad St, July 16, 12:13 PM, a male, 61, of Woodbridge, was arrested for Reckless Driving.
Larceny, Founders Ave, July 16, 6:33 PM, an unknown suspect stole a locked dark winter green Sirrus bicycle with black handle bars and a bell.
Shoplifting, S Washington St, July 17, 12:16 AM, an unknown suspect stole merchandise without paying. The suspect is described as a young black male with dreadlocks, and was accompanied by a white male with long hair.
Assault and Batter, Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct, W Broad St, July 17, 8:36 PM, a female, 36, of Alexandria, was arrested for Assault and Battery, Public Intoxication, and Disorderly Conduct.
been opened, and nearly 9.1 million acres of land protected (22 percent of the watershed). Partners have worked successfully to maintain the blue crab fishery. Female blue crab numbers have stayed above the threshold of what is needed to maintain a healthy blue crab population since 2014 and oyster habitat has been restored in 11 Bay tributaries, Wastewater treatment plants throughout the watershed have been updated, and agriculture conservation practices are expected to prevent nearly 12 million pounds of nitrogen from entering the Bay. What’s next? As EPA Administrator Ortiz said, looking at the Bay Beyond 2025 provides an opportunity to review and reset goals and objectives for Bay restoration. New technology may help achieve broader goals and identify new ones. New partners and new investments, both public and private, can help accelerate plans, projects, and progress. The draft Steering Committee report has been released and is subject to public feedback until August 31, 2024. You can read the report at chesapeakebay.net, and provide comments (via email only) at comments@chesapeakebay.net.
Throw Missile at Occupied Vehicle, S Washington St/W Marshall St, July 18, 10 PM, victim reported that while stopped at a red light, a black Volvo SUV occupied by teenagers pulled up alongside the victim’s vehicle, and an unknown suspect threw a piece of cheese through an open window, striking the victim in the face.
No Valid Operator’s License, E Annandale Rd, July 19, 10:22 AM, a female, 73, of Fairfax County, was arrested for No Valid Operator’s License.
No Valid Operator’s License, Gundry Dr/W Annandale Rd, July 19, 10:06 PM, a male, 46, of Fairfax County, was arrested for No Valid Operator’s License.
Driving Under the Influence/Felony Hit and Run, W George Mason Rd, July 19, 11:25 PM, a male, 40, of Temple Hills, MD, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Felony Hit and Run.
Driving on Suspended License, Hillwood Ave, July 20, 7:27 AM, a female, 68, of Fairfax County, was arrested for Driving on a Suspended License.
Driving Under the Influence/No Valid Operator’s License, Hillwood Ave, July 21, 1:26 AM, a male, 59, of Alexandria, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and No Valid Operator’s License.
Athletes Seek Longer Deals With Specific Companies In Mind
Women’s Basketball. “But we play 40 games in the WNBA.” Each of those 40 games is an opportunity for athletes to showcase their style and their personality.
“Brands are seeing the value of athletes,” she said, “and these moments not just from viewership of games. They’re seeing the individual benefit of followers.” It can be quantified.
The tunnel walk has become a runway, now routinely chronicled on social media — and not just for players in the NBA but also the NFL, the WNBA and even the WTA. Travis Kelce and Christian McCaffrey used their Super Bowl appearances as veritable fashion ads for Amiri and Hermès. Caitlin Clark made her WNBA draft-day debut in Prada and has since worn Fendi and Louis Vuitton; Brink, sidelined by an ACL tear, continues to post photos of herself in looks by Revolve and is currently on the cover of Flaunt magazine in Versace.
“With NIL, young athletes are taking hold of their brand from an early age,” Parker said of the name, image and likeness endorsement
deals struck at the college and high school level. From the start of their careers, she said, athletes are planning for what happens next, and brand-building via fashion is often the first step.
“I’m sure more people see what Angel Reese or Caitlin Clark is wearing in the tunnel than are watching clips online,” Grede said. Then he added: “Why wouldn’t these extraordinary people known for their performance embrace what Hollywood figured out 100 years ago? Fashion builds brands.”
To that end, a stable of support teams has grown up to help athletes navigate the transition — in part because athletes are no longer satisfied with mere pay-to-pose relationships. They want skin in the game, including stock options and roles as collaborators. And if the brands won’t give it to them, they simply build their own, as Tom Brady did with Brady and Russell Wilson did with Good Man.
How Far Could It Go?
“Most athletes want longer-term deals,” Grede said. “They want to align with a brand, but they don’t
necessarily want to do 10 or 20 partnerships. Often they come in with a vision of the type of brand they want to build for themselves.”
Parker agreed. “Athletes have more power,” she said. “They’re not signing with any and everyone. They’re being more specific with their partnerships.”
Athletes are now so aware of their own bankability, said Max Vallot and Tom Daly, founders of upstart running brand District Vision, that smaller brands have pretty much been priced out of the market, relying instead on personal relationships.
And the bigger brands are having to adjust.
According to designer Yoon Ahn of Ambush and Nike, Naomi Osaka specifically requested that Nike delegate Ahn work with her on looks for her U.S. comeback at the end of the summer.
“I think you’re going to see more and more brands that have to get on board and be a part of it,” Parker said.
Certainly, Arnault of LVMH said of athletes, “We’re going to continue and probably even increase that link.” Indeed, last week Dior unveiled a
new partnership with Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton in which Hamilton will become not only a face of the brand but also codesign a line with Dior men’s artistic director Kim Jones.
Could Arnault envision a time when LVMH would hire a basketball player or a fencer or a runner as creative director for one of its brands?
“You know, we hired a performer to be our creative director,” Arnault said, referring to the appointment of Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton. He smiled. “Why not?”
News-Press
Community News & Notes
Last Chance for Address Changes, Vehicle Verifications
The City of Falls Church commissioner of the revenue, Tom Clinton, announced that 2024 Vehicle Verification Forms should have arrived in resident and business mailboxes by now. The Vehicle Verification Form is a city-wide snapshot of what the city has on file for residents and businesses, including street addresses and vehicles (leased & owned) to then be billed in late August. Let the City know if you moved, or did not receive one, and they will check their records and the DMV’s records for you. You can register a new vehicle, and/or move-out a vehicle, online at fallschurchva. gov/vehiclereg without coming into the office!
Changes were due back by July 22, but the city can still process them with any supporting documentation needed, and it will be reflected on this year’s car tax or personal property tax bill. Car tax bills will be mailed out by the Treasurer’s Office in late August, and are due by October 5. No changes? Just recycle the form — or save it if you plan to move or sell a vehicle in the near future.
All vehicles parked in the City of Falls Church must have a green Falls Church City Permanent Decal in the corner of the driver’s lower left windshield, next to the State Safety Inspection Sticker. Vehicles without the sticker are subject to a $50 ticket. This applies to city residences of all kinds, including apartments, condos, townhouses and single-family houses.
Contact the Commissioner’s Office with any questions or updattes via phone at 703-2485450, via email at commissioner@fallschurchva.gov, via fax at 703-248-5212, using the 24/7yellow City Hall Drop Box, or by mail at 300 Park Ave. Ste 202W, Falls Church, VA 22046, or visiting the office in suite 202W of the City Hall’s West Wing during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.
Master Gardeners To Offer Free Class on ‘Insect Heroes’
On Friday, July 26, at 10:00 a.m., Master Gardners of Northern Virginia (MGNV) is hosting a free virtual classroom session, titled “Insect Heroes.”
Learn about the “insect heroes” who work tirelessly throughout their lives to create the serene beauty of the garden you enjoy every day.
For those who may be skeptical of a beneficial insect: MGNV says all you have to do is invite the “right” kinds of insects to your garden and most insect problems will be solved.
Extension Master Gardener
Beth Buffington will help participants find the best ways to encourage these beneficial insects — who will control many of the perennial pests in our gardens without the use of pesticide. It’s that easy.
To receive a link to join, RSVP at tinyurl.com/FCNP0724mg.
MGNV offers frequent programming. For more information, visit mgnv.org.
Virginia Dream FC Wins Mid-Atlantic Conference
In front of 8,000+ fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Virginia Dream FC defeated NPSL’s top ranked team, Annapolis Blues, 2-0 to become the Mid-Atlantic Conference Playoff Champions. Their win advanceds the City of Falls Church team to the regional playoffs.
The Little City’s team put on a mature, clinical performance with a first half goal by Harri Hawkins from a free-kick and a second half goal from Anthony Diaz. Bill Hamid, The Dream’s goalkeeper and ex US National Team/DC United player, made several outstanding saves to earn a shutout. They face FC Motown, NPSL’s #2 ranked team, in the next round.
On Sunday, July 14 at their Meridian High School home, “aka The Cloud”, Virginia Dream FC defeated UPSL’s DMV North Champions, Athletic United, 7-1 in the
National Playoffs Round of 32. This result advances the team to UPSL’s National Playoffs Round of 16.
In only their second year, The Dream have swept every conference they participated in: NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference Playoff Champions, UPSL Regular and Postseason Champions and Virginia Super Soccer League Regular and Postseason Champions! Off the field, their accomplishments have been just as impressive. As part of the team’s vision to blend soccer with fashion, art and music, the team’s kits have garnered worldwide accolades from such soccer fashion entities as SoccerBible(USA), Versus(UK), Nsssports (Italy). For further information please go to: instagram.com/ VirginiaDreamFC/?hl=en.
ALNV White House Christmas Ornaments Now On Sale
Assistance League of Northern Virginia is excited to launch its annual sale of the official holiday ornaments designed and issued by the White House Historical Association. The 2024 ornament is unique because, for the first time, it honors a living president: Jimmy Carter.
Made of solid brass with gold finishes and striking colors, the elements represent facets of President Carter’s life. Shaped like an anchor, the ornament honors his U.S. Navy service, with other symbols on the front and back commemorating his efforts to bring peace to the Middle East and his work as a conservationist, peanut farmer, and humanitarian.
At just $23, Assistance League’s price is unchanged from last year and is much more reasonable than what other local vendors charge. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit’s community programs. Assistance League offers free delivery in Northern Virginia and can also ship to other locations (shipping charges apply). Simplify your holiday shopping by ordering a lot or a few. Use this link to place your order: alnv2024.
VIRGINIA DREAM FC, in their second year as a team, are once again the NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions. (Photo: Snapseed)
THE WELL ATTENDED opening of FCA’s All Member Show (M-Z) last Saturday night included F.C. Mayor Letty Hardi (center) with husband Lucas Hardi (left) and FCA board member Shaun VanSteyn (right). (News-Press Photo)
A SNAPOLOGY STEAM- themed summer camp is enjoyed by learners at Acton Academy Falls Church. (Photo: Acton Academy F.C.)
square.site or scan the QR code on the flyer. For inquiries about the ornament sale, contact ornaments@ALNV.org.
Assistance League receives no federal, state, or local funding and relies on various fundraising efforts, such as selling White House ornaments, to finance its philanthropic programs that provide food, clothing, books, and other necessities to elementary school students, to increase their chance for success in school.
To learn more about the Assistance League, please visit ALNV.org
Police Seek Information in W&OD Trail Robbery
City of Falls Church Police are looking for information
about a robbery that occurred along the W&OD Trail between N. Oak St. and N. Spring St. around 4:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. the morning of July 13.
The suspect is described as a tall male wearing all black. No other images or videos of the suspect are available.
Police urge users of the W&OD Trail to be extra vigilant and to follow these safety tips:
•Avoid utilizing the trail at night
• Stay aware and observant of your surroundings
• Share your trail usage plans with a trusted person
Anyone with information should contact Detective C. LeGrandDouglass at 703-248-5168 (TTY 711), cdouglass@fallschurchva.gov, or the F.C. police non-emergency line: 703-241-5053 (TTY 711).
Finn Yeh of the Lee Graham Swim Team completed the 50M breast stroke in 32.39 seconds, breaking a 12-year record. (Courtesy Photo)
THE HOT LANES performed at the Cherry Hill Farmhouse on Thursday, part of the free 2024 Summer Concerts series, co-hosted by the City and Village Preservation and Improvement Society. (Photo: Gary Mester)
A SPECIAL
from the Virginia State Legislature
presented by State Del. Marcus Simon to Ed Saltzberg (holding the commendation)
his 42 years
service as a member of the F.C. Economic Development Authority (EDA). Shown here, all in the front row, are current EDA Chair Bob Young (far left) and EDA Board member Jim Coyle (far right) along with spouse Sharon Schoeller and Del. Simon. Back row are members of the F.C. City Council (l. to r.), Justine Underhill, Marybeth Connelly, Letty Hardi, Christine Lian and Erin Flynn. (News-Press Photo)
T h e LGB T Q + R e ach
by Brian Reach Falls Church News-Press
144 Out Athletes at Paris Olympics
On Friday the 2024 Olympic Games begin in Paris, France. This year’s Games boast 10,500 athletes from 206 teams, representing 195 countries and territories (and refugees). According to Outsports, which tracks the performance of out LGBTQ+ athletes, this may represent record-breaking LGBTQ+ representation at the Games — already approaching the 2021 Tokyo high.
144 out LGBTQ+ athletes are known to be competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics — and though this falls short of the 186 known from the 2021 Tokyo Games, Outsports notes that only 121 were known ahead of the Games, with 65 more writing in to be included during or after they began. This is far more than the 2016 Games (56), which was far more than 2012 (23), which was far more than 2008 (11). Before then, very few out Olympians competed, and those who did often faced backlash.
The first games with an LGBTQ+ athlete (known to be at the time) was 1900 — the French equestrian Robert de Montesquiou who, though not known as gay to the world, was described as a “notorious homosexual” among his social circles in Lucy Hughes-Hallet’s biography of poet Gabriele d’Annunzio.
After that was Danish tennis player Lief Rovsing, who competed in 1912 before his sexuality was used to ban him from competition for a decade. Next came German runner Otto Peltzer, who was openly gay but, after competing in 1928 and 1932, was arrested for being a homosexual and sent to a concentration camp by the Nazis until 1945.
The next Olympic games with an athlete known to be LGBTQ+ was 1984 — Canadian runner Greg Duhaime, who was the first Olympian to be widely known as LGBTQ+. U.S. equestrian Robert Dover came out before competing in 1988 (and again in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004). Swedish swimmer Helena Aberg and Australian diver Craig Rogerson came out before competing in 1988 U.S. tennis player Gigi Fernandez, U.S. diver Patrick Jeffrey, and Spanish tennis player Conchita Martinez came out before competing in 1996.
That’s it. There were ten openly LGBTQ+ Olympic athletes — only seven of whom were widely known — before the 2000 Olympic Games.
As public support for LGBTQ+ rights grew, so did LGBTQ+ representation in the Olympics. The 2008 Games had a record 12 openly LGBTQ+ athletes.
2011 was the first year most Americans supported gay marriage. In 2012, months before the London Olympics, President Obama became the first U.S. President to support gay marriage. That summer
23 openly LGBTQ+ athletes competed.
In 2016 that trend continued, with 56 out competitors, followed by 186 in Tokyo (2021) and 144 (and counting) this year in Paris. Interestingly, at least 80 percent of LGBTQ+ Olympic athletes are female, with the number of lesbian athletes increasing astronomically over the last two decades, while gay male participation has seen more modest increases. In addition to several nonbinary players, 18 of the 144 LGBTQ+ competitors are male, while 120 are women.
This is excellent news, but this progress is not consistent everywhere. Of the 144 known out LGBTQ+ athletes competing in Paris, half are from three countries: 29 from Brazil, 28 from the U.S., and 17 from Australia. Of the 21 other teams with LGBTQ+ competitors, nine have just one. More than 88 percent of countries have no openly LGBTQ+ competitors.
The U.S. team’s 28 LGBTQ+ competitors represent just over four percent of its 653 athletes. Brazil’s 29 represent just over ten percent of their 276. Overall, just over one percent of Olympic athletes are LGBTQ+, and nearly 70 participating countries outlaw homosexuality. We still have quite a way to go.
Game Changer: Kamala Ascends
There is palpable energy in the air since Sunday, when Kamala Harris suddenly became the Democrats’ de-facto nominee for President after Biden’s withdrawal and endorsement (a virtual vote will lock this down by August 7). This feels like 2008. I’m excited.
And from all measures, so are others, with a record-pulverizing wave of donations, volunteers — and a refreshing unity behind Harris — all within the first 24 hours of the surprise campaign.
For the past eight years, we’ve had a steady drumbeat of negativity coming from Donald Trump and his followers. Trump’s Republican party has fully embraced his antagonistic tone, and things have gotten rough. And then we had a pandemic, and all the vaccine and mask nonsense. Oh, and we just had an assassination attempt against Trump, though it was from within the Republican party.
We aren’t out of the woods yet. We need to vote. We need to stop Project 2025. But with that glass ceiling suddenly within striking distance again, I’m feeling the energy. Harris’s LGBTQ+ record is exquisite. Her whole record is.
And she’s cool! And she’s young(er)!
Other than Veepstakes, not much will change for the next couple weeks (but still donate and volunteer). But let’s allow ourselves to lean into the Olympics with healthy patriotism, rooting for Team America together with our friends and neighbors, and just be U.S.
Falls Church Business News & Notes
NUE Hosts Fruit Stories
NUE Elegantly Vietnamese is hosting “Fruit Stories: Experience the Love Language of Fruit” on Wednesday, July 31 at 6:00 p.m. The event explores the practice of sharing fruit in Vietnamese culture through curated dishes and dialogue. Educator, writer, and artist Anh Nguyen collaborated on the menu. The special event features a five-course tasting menu and more. Reservations are recommended for this special event at opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=1267771&restr ef=1267771&experienceId=325157
Night Watch Pediatric Urgent Care Receives Recognition
Night Watch Pediatric Urgent Care has earned national recognition for its commitment to excellence with the Inc. 5000 award ranked at 198 in 2023. This network of state-of-the-art facilities has been serving communities for five years and was recognized for Forbes Next 1000 in 2021. Their core values — compassionate healing, integrity, giving, education, teamwork, positivity, hard work, community focus, and family orientation — are at the heart of the practice. To be accessible to the public, they opened on Arlington Boulevard and extended weekday hours to midnight.
A Deep Dive into The Five Dementias
The Kensington is hosting Melissa Long, Director of Education & Support at Insight Memory Care Center, who will address The Five Dementias on Wednesday, July 31, 6:00 — 7:00 p.m. Participants will gain insight into the different types of dementia and learn how to support those living with it. The presentation is in person and will allow the opportunity to ask questions. Reservations may be made on the Kensington website at thekensingtonfallschurch.com/events/a-deep-dive-into-thefive-dementias.
Celebrate the Olympics
Dogwood Tavern is hosting an Olympic Launch Party from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28. Join the watch party and view the opening ceremonies and more coverage with brunch, dinner and drink specials and live music with James Stevens and Eric Zatz.
Webinar: Registering Your Business in VA & DC
The Women’s Business Center (WBC) is leading a webinar Tuesday, July 30, from 6:00 — 7:30 p.m., Registering Your Business in VA & DC. Two attorneys with the Geller Group, Joanna Schindler Esq. and Tammy Hui, Esq., will walk participants through the steps that are needed and outline processes of becoming a legal business entity. This workshop guides you through legal entity forms, and federal, state and local registrations as our instructor explains the benefits and drawbacks of choosing from the various entity structures and how to actually start a business while also addressing intellectual property matters for business owners and other legal questions relating to contracts and legal business matters. The session is free, and the link will be shared upon registration.at wbcnova.centerdynamics.com/workshop. aspx?ekey=10440066.
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@fallschurchchamber.org.
CALENDAR
THIS WEEK AROUND F.C.
THURSDAY JULY 25
Govt. Operations Committee Meeting
Government Operations Committee meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 10:00 a.m.
Rotary Social Networking Mixer
Meet new contacts and take your business to the next level. There will be free appetizers courtesy of corporate sponsors. Come out, meet some new friends, and learn about the different service projects making life better in our communities. Atrium Korean Tofu & BBQ (7799 Leesburg Pike , Falls Church), 5:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.
City Groove
Join for an evening filled with live music, delicious food, and good vibes. This event is all about celebrating creativity, community, and of course, grooving to some awesome tunes. Founders Row (109 Founders Ave., Falls Church), 6:30 p.m.
The Big Tow
The Big Tow performs rock and blues. Part of the free Summer Concerts in the Park series, Thursdays through August 8, cohosted by the Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) and F.C. Recreation and Parks. Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church), 7:00 p.m.
FRIDAY
JULY 26
Bounce in the Park
Kids ages 3-9 are invited to join for bounce house fun at select parks. Alcova Heights Park (901 S George Mason Dr, Arlington, VA), 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m.
Daryl Davis & Friends
Legendary pianist and activist Daryl Davis has performed with all the greats of Rock & Roll, Chuck
Berry, The Legendary Blues Band (formerly The Muddy Waters Blues Band), Elvis Presley's Jordanaires, and many others. Daryl is joined by the inimitable Seth Kibel on clarinet and sax, exploring a world of classic songs. Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
JULY 27
Falls Church Farmers Market
Shop the award-winning market every Saturday, year-round! City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church), 8:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.
MRSPL Used Book Sale
Get great bargains on books, movies and music for all ages. Friday through Monday. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Upper Floor Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Dinosaur Pajama Party
For children ages 0-5 with their families. Join Ingrid Christina for dinosaur-themed songs, rhymes, books, and games in this pajama dance party for kids and families. Free. Dinosaur pajamas encouraged. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Lower Level Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 11:00 a.m. — 11:45 a.m.
The Guitar Renegades
This unique all-guitar ensemble were a revelation at their debut performance at the Creative Cauldron.
A quintet of incredible guitarists... and nothing else. All guitar, all the time with Cristian Perez, Connor Holdridge, Jan Knutson, Parker Spears, and Tommy Holliday. Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.
Little Theatre of Alexandria: Memphis
Based on the real life story of Dewey Phillips, a Memphis based DJ with a penchant for black music, this show highlights the early struggle of black artists and their fight to be heard. Set in 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, the show focuses on the relationship between
disc jockey, Huey Calhoun and Felicia, the black singing sensation of club owner, Delray. The Little Theatre of Alexandria (600 Wolfe St., Alexandria, VA), 8:00 p.m.
SUNDAY JULY 28
Sig Theatre: Awa Sal Secka
A few riffs, a little scatting, a lot of fun, and all jazz as powerhouse vocalist Awa Sal Secka toasts luminaries such as Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald and more. Showing through Aug. 4. Signature Theatre (3200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA), 7:00 p.m.
MONDAY JULY 29
Fitness at the Fountain Free, instructor-led fitness class, weekly on Mondays through August 26. No experience required. This week enjoy meditation with Mind Your Body Oasis. National Landing Water Park (1601 Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA), 6:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.
TUESDAY JULY 30
July
Book Swap
Bring a few books to swap, and in return, choose from a diverse selection brought by other attendees. All Day by Kramers (1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC), 6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY JULY 31
Park Palooza
Enjoy some free summer fun from bingo, volleyball, cornhole, sack races, and more! The barn will be open for corn grinding and live music to close out Recreation and Parks Month. Harvey's and Anita's Frozen Cotton Candy will be onsite selling grilled eats and sweet treats. Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church), 5:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
CHILDREN AGES 0-5 and their families are invited to join Ingrid Christina at MRSPL this Saturday for dinosaur-themed songs, rhymes, books, and games in a pajama dance party. (Courtesy Photo)
SUMMONS AND PETITION
You are hereby summoned to appear in person before this Court on August 21, 2024 at 9:30 AM in Part 5 for an in person appearance and conference before the Hon. Segal Blakeman at the Nassau County Family Court, located at 1200 Old Country Rd., Westbury, NY, 11590 on the 2nd Floor in Room 204 to answer the petition filed by Lilian L. BonillaVasquez (Petitioner) against you, Jose E. Vasquez-Fuentes (Respondent) in the Matter of an Article 6 Custody/Visitation Proceeding wherein the Petitioner seeks full residential custody and sole legal custody of the subject child, Emily P. Vasquez-Bonilla.
File #: 589041, Index#: V-07176-22. If you fail to appear as directed, a warrant may be issued for your arrest.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
The following was given first reading at the May 28, 2024 City Council meeting. A public hearing and possible recommendation for City Council action is scheduled for Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.
(TO24-11) ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH CHAPTER 48 “ZONING,” ARTICLE V “SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS,”
DIVISION 2 “OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS” TO EXCLUDE THE FIRST 1,000 SQUARE-FEET FOR NEW COMMERCIAL USE OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS
The proposed amendments to the Zoning Code would have the effect of excluding up to 1,000 square feet of commercial floor area from the City’s minimum parking requirement calculations.
The purpose of the proposed commercial parking relief is to expand the number of commercial uses that are eligible to occupy existing commercial buildings, so that existing commercial buildings may be more easily re-purposed over time.
All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. All persons desiring to present their views on the items will be heard. Comments may also be sent to jtrainor@fallschurchva. gov. Remote participation information at www. fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. For copies of legislation and other information, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www. fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. 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) or e-mail cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
The following was given first reading at the May 28, 2024 City Council meeting. A public hearing, second reading, and possible City Council action is scheduled for Monday, August 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.
(TO24-11) ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH CHAPTER 48 “ZONING,” ARTICLE V “SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS,” DIVISION 2 “OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS” TO EXCLUDE THE FIRST 1,000 SQUARE-FEET FOR NEW COMMERCIAL USE OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS
The proposed amendments to the Zoning Code would have the effect of excluding up to 1,000 square feet of commercial floor area from the City’s minimum parking requirement calculations.
The purpose of the proposed commercial parking relief is to expand the number of commercial uses that are eligible to occupy existing commercial buildings, so that existing commercial buildings may be more easily re-purposed over time.
The following was given first reading at the June 22, 2024 City Council meeting. A public hearing, second reading, and possible City Council action is scheduled for Monday, August 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.
(TO24-13) ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE MONETARY BONUSES TO EMPLOYEES
The proposed ordinance would authorize the City Manager to provide monetary bonuses to City employees subject to budget appropriation and City Administrative Regulations.
All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. All persons desiring to present their views on the items will be heard. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. Remote participation information at www. fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. For copies of legislation and other information, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www. fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. 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) or e-mail cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov.
CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK
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Trump’s Cynical Attempt to Pit Recent Immigrants Against Black Americans
by Paul Krugman
New York Times
Obviously, the big political news of the past couple of days has come from the Democratic side.
But before last week’s Republican National Convention fades from view, let me focus instead on a development on the GOP side that may, given everything else that has been happening, have flown under the radar: MAGA rhetoric on immigration, which was already ugly, has become even uglier.
Until now, most of the anti-immigration sloganeering coming from Donald Trump and his campaign has involved false claims that we’re experiencing a migrant crime wave.
Increasingly, however, Trump and his associates have started making the case that immigrants are stealing American jobs — specifically, the accusation that immigrants are inflicting terrible damage on the livelihoods of Black workers.
Of course, the idea that immigrants are taking jobs away from native-born Americans, including native-born Black Americans, isn’t new. It has, in particular, been an obsession for JD Vance, complete with misleading statistical analysis,
so Trump’s choice of Vance as his running mate in itself signals a new focus on the supposed economic harm inflicted by immigrants.
So, too, did Trump’s acceptance speech on Thursday, which contained a number of assertions about the economics of immigration, among them, the notion that of jobs created under President Joe Biden, “107% of those jobs are taken by illegal aliens” — a weirdly specific number considering that it’s clearly false, because native-born employment has risen by millions of jobs since Biden took office.
What seems relatively new, however, is the attempt to pit immigrants against Black Americans. True, Trump prefigured this line of attack during his June debate with Biden, when he declared that immigrants are “taking Black jobs,” leading some to mockingly question which jobs, exactly, count as “Black.”
But the volume on this claim has been turned way up.
At the Republican convention, former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, someone very likely to have a role in the next administration if Trump wins, spoke of “a whole army of illiterate illegal
aliens stealing the jobs of Black, brown and blue-collar Americans.”
In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek published last week, Trump went even bigger, declaring that “The Black people are going to be decimated by the millions of people that are coming into the country.” He continued, “Their wages have gone way down. Their jobs are being taken by the migrants coming in illegally into the country.” He went on to say, “The Black population in this country is going to die because of what’s happened, what’s going to happen to their jobs — their jobs, their housing, everything.”
Trump’s diatribe forced Bloomberg to add this, parenthetically, as a fact check: “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of employment gains since 2018 have been for naturalized U.S. citizens and legal residents — not migrants.”
There was a time when a rant like this would have signaled that a politician lacked the emotional stability and intellectual capacity to hold the highest office in the land. Alas.
Also, it’s hard to overstate the cynicism here. Trump has a history of associating with white
supremacists, not to mention his long-standing obsession with crime in urban, often predominantly Black precincts. Still, he clearly perceives an opportunity to peel away some Black voters by playing them off against immigrants.
But again, even if we ignore the cynicism, this new line of attack on immigration is just wrong on the facts.
If immigrants are taking away all the “Black jobs,” you can’t see it in the data, which shows Black unemployment at historic lows. If Black wages have, as Trump claims, gone way down, someone should tell the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which says that median Black earnings, adjusted for inflation, are significantly higher than they were toward the end of Trump’s term. (You should ignore the spurious bump during the pandemic, which reflected composition effects rather than genuine wage gains.)
You might ask why, given we have indeed seen a surge in immigration, that we aren’t seeing signs of an adverse, let alone cataclysmic, impact on Black wages or employment. After all, many recent immigrants, especially those in the country without legal permission, lack
college degrees and maybe even high school education. So aren’t they competing with native-born Americans who also lack college or high school degrees?
The answer, which we’ve known since the 1990s, is that immigrant workers bring a different set of skills to the table than native-born workers, even when those workers have similar levels of formal education. And yes, I mean skills: If you think of workers without a college degree as “unskilled,” try fixing your own plumbing or doing your own carpentry. It shouldn’t need to be said, but a lot of blue-collar work is highly skilled and highly specialized. As a result, immigrants tend to take a very different mix of jobs than native-born workers do — which means that there’s much less head-to-head competition between immigrant and native-born workers than you might think, or what Trump and Vance want you to think.
The bottom line is that the attempt to portray immigration as an apocalyptic threat to Black Americans is refuted by the facts. Will it nonetheless work politically? I have no idea.
The
In Memoriam: Lois Jones Ester
Lois Jones Ester (84), born August 30th, 1939 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, passed away at home surrounded by her family on Friday, July 19 in Falls Church, Virginia.
Lois was preceded in death by her loving husband of 51 ) years. She is survived by her daughter, Kay Guilliams (Ray), and son Dennis Eister (Karla), her grandsons Ethan & Kyle.
Letters to Editor
country back after COVID and passing once-in-a-generation climate change investment with the Inflation Reduction Act.
We are still in the middle of a historic presidential campaign to fight authoritarianism and to defeat convicted felon Donald Trump. That is why last night in my capacity as a DNC National Delegate, I proudly cast my vote for Kamala Harris to be our Democratic nominee. Her experience as Biden’s Vice President demonstrates that she is the leader we need to propel America forward. Together, we will go forward as a unified force and keep the White House “Blue” in 2024.
Jeff Person
Editor,
The Virginia Department of Corrections celebrated its Probation and Parole Officers during Virginia Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week (July 14-20) and will also observe the national PPPS Week (July 21-27). I encourage all Virginians to do the same. You might not personally know a Probation and Parole Officer, but you feel their contributions to long-term public safety every day.
Our officers are at the forefront of public safety. Their actions directly keep those who live, work in, and visit the Commonwealth safe from criminal activity by providing effective supervision of probationers and parolees across Virginia. This completely aligns with the agency’s
A celebration of life visitation will be held on Friday, July 26, from 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA 22046.
A second visitation will be held the following day on Saturday, July 27 from 10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. with interment immediately following at National Memorial Park.
mission of long-term public safety. Additionally, VADOC Probation and Parole Officers provide guidance, tools, and resources to supervisees. This directly leads to Virginia’s consistently high success rate for reentry. Probation and Parole Districts across the Commonwealth also do much more than provide effective supervision for the more than 61,000 supervisees in Virginia. Districts and our corrections team members are true servants of their community, providing money, volunteer hours, and collaboration to schools, community resource centers, and partner law enforcement agencies. Thank a Probation and Parole Officer for their service. It’s a simple gesture, especially for the services they provide this great Commonwealth.
Judge (Ret.) Chadwick S. Dotson Director, Virginia Department of Corrections
Local Electeds Swift to Back Harris’ Run
Continued from Page 5
action. The equity, health and safety of our communities, the hard-fought progress we have made, and the work that still needs to be done are all at stake. Our communities are under attack on many fronts — from access to trans affirming care to immigration, bodily autonomy, in schools, libraries and more — including many issues at the intersections of our multiple identities.
“‘The Biden/Harris administration advocated for progress on all the issues the Task Force Action Fund focuses on — not simply ‘LGBTQ rights’ but the
many ways our diverse communities are impacted by attacks on labor, reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, immigration, voting rights, the education system, health care and more.
“‘We are witnessing an almost unmatched coalescing of people across the country that is inspiring — young voters, individuals who are now re-energized to engage in our democratic process, countless people who now feel hope — and an energy that is crossing all political and cultural boundaries. We also see those who are taking to the streets, organizing and advocating to continue to speak out and hold all elected
officials accountable to move our communities forward.
“‘Not only is this a passing of the torch from President Biden to a new generation, it is the passing of the baton in a generations-long, hard-fought relay of groundbreaking presidential candidates and extraordinary humans — from Shirley Chisolm, to Pat Schroeder, to Barack Obama, to Carol MoselyBraun, to Eleanor HolmesNorton, to Hillary Clinton...and now to Kamala Harris.
“‘This extraordinary coming together has a single-minded purpose: elect Kamala Harris and not allow extremism and authoritarianism to win.’”
Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Please send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
MEET LILO, who met her first horse last week: Nugget! Lilo is becoming a farm dog in Bluemont helping her mom tend to the horses and do barn chores, and is an expert cuddler at home in Falls Church (Photo by Kyla)
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