Falls Church News-Press 8-27-2020 by Falls Church News-Press

August 27 – September 2, 2020

FA LLS CHUR C H, V I R G I NI A • WW W. FC NP. C OM • FR EE

FOU N D E D 1991 • V OL. X XX NO. 28

T�� C�� F�� C��’� I��, L��-O�� N�� R��, S�� N. V��

F.C. Schools Cheery Outlook Opens Year

T�� I� B�� T�� O��

Positive Day 1 Reported By Staff to School Board BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Despite the extraordinary challenges of opening the new school year with solely online distance learning due to the persisting Covid19 pandemic, there was nothing but praise and appreciation for the roll out of the first day of school throughout the Falls Church public school system this Monday. That’s how it came across at Tuesday night’s online F.C. School Board meeting that included a schoolby-school assessment of the opening by Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan, who reported that he was able to look in on many of the classes and that many teachers at all levels chose to lead their students from their actual classrooms, rather than from home. The two greatest concerns as the year begins in this fashion are: 1. How many registered students are actually showing up and 2. What is

Continued on Page 5

THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, along with of�icials from the Arlington County as well as the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, broke ground at the site of where the new dual trails for pedestrians and cyclists will be added to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. In attendance were F.C. Mayor David Tarter (front row, third from left) and councilman David Snyder, who sits on the Northern Virginia Transportation Committee’s executive board. (P��: N��-P��)

F.C. Mayor Talks Covid-19, Developments in Annual ‘State of the City’ BY MATT DELANEY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Where to even begin with 2020? A year that started out focused on finalizing plans for the City of Falls Church’s largest development project in history as well as the promise of a new high

school by its end has been turned sideways by a once-in-a-century global pandemic. Wondering what the situation is in the City seems so small given the drastic changes the country and the world has experienced in the past six months alone. And yet, Falls Church has

shown itself to be a reliable microcosm of how these changes can be handled. That could be addressing commercial real estate’s current dire outlook with steely patience, or taking an uncomfortable look back at the American history it chooses to honor with school names. Even when the story

doesn’t involve Falls Church, per se, the City still finds itself playing a small, but vital role in helping tell it. Mayor David Tarter spoke with the News-Press over email about these topics, and more, in the lead-

Continued on Page 4

I�� T�� W�� IT’S HERE: B�� F.C. W�� R�� Even though its packaging is a bit trimmer this year, the Best of Falls Church still carries all the pompand circumstance you’ve come to love. Check out all 35 winners inside this edition! SEE BEST OF F.C., PAGE 13

2020

L�� F.C. O�� A�� D��

I�� G�� C�� F�� G�� M�� U��

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

SEE BUSINESS NEWS, PAGE 25

Dr. Peter Ellis, for over two decades a Falls Church optometrist who worked at the Point of View Eyewear on West Broad, issued a statement that he is leaving due to the sale of the Point of View business, which took place on Aug. 7.

Insight Property Group completed its conversion of Falls Green into a 576-unit multifamily market rate apartment cmplex. The property was previously known as Oakwood Apartments and was used primarily for short-term government and corporate housing.

INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 News & Notes............................. 10,11 Comment ................................ 7,12,21 Crime Report .................................... 12 Business News ................................. 25 Calendar ........................................... 26 Classified Ads ................................... 28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 29 Critter Corner.................................... 30

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 2 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF THE APPLICATION OF VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY D/B/A DOMINION ENERGY VIRGINIA FOR REVISION OF RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE: RIDER US-4, SADLER SOLAR PROJECT, FOR THE RATE YEAR COMMENCING JUNE 1, 2021 CASE NO. PUR-2020-00123 On July 1, 2020, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an application (“Application”) for approval of its first annual update filing, with respect to its Rider US-4 (“2020 Annual Update” or “Update”) for the Sadler Solar Facility, an approximately 100 megawatt (“MW”) utility-scale solar photovoltaic generating facility located in Greensville County, Virginia (“US-4 Solar Project” or the “Project”). The Commission approved the US-4 Solar Project and granted a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the US-4 Project subject to specific conditions and requirements on January 22, 2020. Subsequently, the Commission approved a rate adjustment clause, Rider US-4, effective for usage on and after June 1, 2020, authorizing the Company to recover costs associated with the construction of the US-4 Solar Project. The RAC Order required the Company to file its annual Rider US-4 application on or after July 1, 2020. Because the Project is not yet in service, the 2020 Annual Update does not include any information related to performance or adjustments related to the Performance Guarantee required in the CPCN Order. According to the Application, the total forecasted costs for the US-4 Solar Project are $145.6 million (excluding financing costs), or $1,456 per kilowatt at the 100 MW (nominal AC) rating, with cost variances from the original estimates, both upward and downward and within specific cost categories and subcategories. The updated budget forecast included in the Application reflects actual capital expenditures through December 31, 2019, and projected capital expenditures through December 31, 2021, with monthly projections of capital expenditures used to determine the revenue requirement for the 2020 Annual Update. The total revenue requirement requested for recovery in the Application for the Rate Year beginning June 1, 2021, is $11,871,320. The Company states that it used a return on common equity of 9.2% in this proceeding, consistent with the Final Order in Case No. PUR-2019-00050. The Company states that the proposed Rider US-4, to be implemented on June 1, 2021, will increase the residential customer’s monthly bill, based on average usage of 1,000 kWh per month, by $0.07. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals. TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Application and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Application and supporting documents. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on February 17, 2021, at 10 a.m., to receive testimony from public witnesses and the evidence of the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Further details on this hearing will be provided by subsequent Commission Order or Hearing Examiner’s Ruling. The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, and the declarations of emergency issued at both the state and federal levels. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other documents required to be served in this matter should be submitted electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”). Confidential and Extraordinarily Sensitive information shall not be submitted electronically and should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, of the Rules of Practice. For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, any person seeking to hand deliver and physically file or submit any pleading or other document shall contact the Clerk’s Office Document Control Center at (804) 3719838 to arrange the delivery. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission has directed that service on parties and the Commission’s Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing for further instructions concerning Confidential or Extraordinarily Sensitive Information. An electronic copy of the Company’s Application may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Elaine S. Ryan, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or eryan@mcguirewoods.com. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: https://scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. On or before January 15, 2021, any interested person may file comments on the Application by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. All comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2020-00123. On or before November 13, 2020, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by Rule 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2020-00123. On or before December 22, 2020, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, and serve on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case, and each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR 2020-00123. Any documents filed in paper form with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice. The Company’s Application, the Commission’s Rules of Practice and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing may be viewed at: https://scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY d/b/a DOMINION ENERGY VIRGINIA

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 3

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

JD sold more homes in Falls Church last year than any other agent! Per MLS

SOLD in 4 days!!

Amazing Skyline Views!!

$649,900

JD CALLANDER Top 1% of Realtors Nationwide

900 N. Stafford St, N. Arlington

*MUST-SEE* 2BR/2 full bath condo on 22nd floor w/ 1230 finished sq feet! *DIRECT ACCESS* to Ballston Metro and mall! New granite counters in the kitchen; hardwood floors in living room & hall; 1-car space avail; super building amenities!

#1 Agent, COMPANYWIDE

RENTAL - $4200/month 2008 Freedom Lane, Falls Church

SOLD for $720,000

*WONDERFUL* 5BR/3 full BA home in sought-after Nantucket community! This spacious home features light/bright kitchen, huge family room with fireplace; elegant living and formal dining rms; Haycock, Longfellow & McLean schools!

235 Gundry Drive, FC City

*FABULOUS* 3BR/3.5 BA end-unit townhome on 3 finished levels in Winter Hill with hardwoods, finished LL and super upgrades throughout!

Haycock, Longfellow & McLean Schools!

*UNDER CONTRACT in 1 day!*

703.606.7901

JD@newNOVAhome.com www.newNOVAhome.com

Falls Church City Schools!

*SOLD* for $1,200,000

# 1 Listing Agent #1 Selling Agent 708 Highland Avenue, Falls Church City #1 Total Volume *BEAUTIFUL* 4BR/4.5 BA home on 3 finished levels w/ hardwood floors; kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite counters & breakfast #1 Total Transactions light/bright bar! Living & breakfast rm area with Fr door walkouts to lovely deck; fin LL

Weichert/Dolley with expansive rec/family room w/ fireplace, plus bedroom, full bath & storage! Madison Office

$949,000 6511 Cape Court, Falls Church

*GORGEOUS* 4BR/2 full & 2 half bath colonial on 3 levels with many recent renovations! Inviting French door entry; sparkling gourmet kitchen with top-of-the line appliances; upper level with super owner's suite & luxury bath; finished walkout LL; lovely back patio and corner lot in cul-de-sac location! McLean HS pyramid!

Call to sign-up for a virtual 1-on-1 appointment with JD!

Weichert 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd McLean, VA 22101 703-760-8880

Urgent — Buyers Need Homes! FREE Document

SHREDDING

EVENT

Saturday, August 29 · 11 am - 1 pm Clear out your "quarantine clutter" and protect your personal information by attending our document shredding event in the Chesterbrook Residences front parking lot. Team members will be available to help assist you with any heavy boxes. Hosted by Chesterbrook Residences. Free and open to the public! chesterbrookres.org 2030 Westmoreland Street A Caring Assisted Living Retirement Community

Falls Church, VA

Coordinated Services Management, Inc.—Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981.

SOLD

Under Contract

114 Birch St B5, Falls Church City

3050 Covington St, Fairfax

Sold in ! 2 Days

Fabulous 2 bd/1.5 ba condo w/ amazing private terrace in the heart of Falls Church City. Beautifully renovated w/ new kitchen & baths and hardwood flooring. W/D in unit and assigned parking. Offered at $325,000

Representing buyers Lovely 3 bd/ 3.5 ba end-unit townhouse featuring spacious interior and great views of the woods. Offered at $545,000

Under Contract

223 E Taylor Run Parkway, Alexandria

Representing buyers Beautiful 3 bd/2.5 ba 3 level home , fully updated and walk to King Street Metro, Old Town and Delray. Offered at $599,000

Louise Molton

Broker/Owner Phone: 703 244-1992 louise@moltonrealestate.com

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

2251 Teel Drive, Vienna

Representing buyers Lovely 4 bd/4 ba Victorian-style home in quiet community yet mins from Tysons , metro and major highways . Offered at $699,999

710 W Broad St Falls Church, VA 22046 703-596-5303 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

REALTOR

LO CA L

PAGE 4 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Tarter Sees Virus as Minor Threat to West End’s Long-Term Prospects

Continued from Page 1

ing political figure of Falls Church’s annual State of the City interview. News-Press: It’s been a oneof-a-kind year with the Covid19 pandemic destabilizing so many parts about our society. How do you think the City of Falls Church has handled the pandemic, now that we’re nearly 6 months into it? Mayor Tarter: Given the challenging circumstances, I think we have done a good job coping with the pandemic. I am very proud of our police and other front-line workers who have put their lives on the line for our common good. The city is doing what we can for those struggling financially, including providing rent and utility relief, free meals and food vouchers, and over $250,000 in direct small business assistance. We are in close contact with the governor’s office and our federal and state delegations to advocate for our city’s interests and to ensure that we are receiving our fair share of local assistance.

We are working with our regional neighbors to coordinate our efforts and follow best practices. Our citizens are doing their part by following our health professionals’ advice. N-P: While many other neighboring jurisdictions have had to delay their own Capital Improvement Projects due to the uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus, the City of Falls Church still has everything on track. How was the City able to stay the course with its CIPs? Tarter: While much of our Capital Improvement Plan is still proceeding, we have re-examined our plans in light of the challenging financial situation. Many of our projects, like the new high school and the library, were already well underway and needed to keep moving along. Some other projects like stormwater upgrades and traffic calming improvements have been put on pause to ensure that they are still prudent in the current financial environment. We will be reevaluating them in the coming months. If there is any silver

THE 99-YEAR LEASE for the land that the West End project sits on gives the City and the developers it’s partnered with plenty of time to adjust, if needed. (C�� P��) lining in the current situation, it is that work has proceeded without interruption and all of our projects are on time and on budget. For new projects, borrowing costs are near all-time lows. N-P: Speaking of develop-

ments, how do you see the conflict between Whole Foods as a part of the Broad and Washington project and its three neighboring businesses in Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, Thompson Italian and The State Theatre being

resolved? Is there a win-win on the table? Tarter: I hope so. Grocery stores have been one of the few financial bright spots in the cur-

Continued on Page 8

Build Your Dream, On Your Lot Tear Down & Rebuild! Clarendon Model Open House

©Design Basics, Inc.

Saturday, Aug. 29th and Sunday, Aug. 30th 12 Noon to 4 PM, Both Days 2127 Greenwich Street in Falls Church

The Clarendon Model Base Price $429,900*

4086 Sq. Feet • 5 Bedrooms • 5 Baths * On Your Lot, Site Development, & Utilities Not Included

NDI 00111 NDI_Clarendon 8/29_FCNP_Ad.indd 1

new dimensions inc. Dream. Build. Live.

NDICustomHomes

NewDimensionsInc.

newdimensionsinc.com

hello@newdimensionsinc.com • 1-800-406-8555

8/19/20 10:59 AM

LO CA L

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

High Attendance Seen at All Levels, Reopening Plan Still In Early Stages

Continued from Page 1

the timetable for when a transition to either a form of hybrid (a combination of days in class and days at home) or full in-class teaching might be. On the first question, Noonan reported that of the 2,555 students projected, 143 were no-shows on the first day. The biggest shortfall was at the kindergarten level where there was an undercount of 31 compared to expectations, at the Jesse Thackrey Preschool, where 20 out of 51 did not log in, and in the 9th grade, where 24 students didn’t show up. At the high school level, 99 percent of students were present, being 858 out of 868 students, all but 10. It was noted that the head count that matters, that gets figured into the calculations for state and federal support, does not come until the end of September. On the second question, Dr. Noonan said he does not share the willingness of some neighboring school systems to provide an

optional date for opening at least for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and special education instruction. By contrast, he said, “Data and safety drive our decisions” on reopening options. As for right now, he noted, the data is not looking good for this area, with the Virginia Department of Health and Fairfax Health Department report this week that the area’s classification has changed from “low” to “moderate” risk from the spread of the Covid-19 virus. “Right now the data is not going in a good direction,” he said. “We’re dealing with small numbers, but we must be very careful and thoughtful in assessing the situation.” He said his staff is “working internally to develop a strategy for bringing back some of the most vulnerable student populations, including the youngest ones.” But opening day Monday, the first time the system opened before Labor Day, the reviews were very favorable. The student member of the board, George Mason High’s

Elizabeth Snyder, said “The first day went very well.” Noonan said looking in on some of the classes, “It was heartening to see kids smiling,” adding, “By and large, it went very well. Teachers expressed great enthusiasm for seeing the kids.” School Board chair Greg Anderson said, “It was a stellar start to the year.” Board member Susan Dimock said her own children in the system were “very excited” and “It was a great start to the school year.” Opening day was also acknowledged by two Washington, D.C.based television news organizations, NBC Channel 4 and ABC Channel 7, who filmed and interviewed some Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and Mt. Daniel Elementary teachers. At Tuesday night’s meeting, Noonan announced some administrative personnel changes, including the addition of a new Athletic Director Marvin Wooten, Athletic Student Activities Director Hillary Trebels, the move from Arlington

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 5

THE FALLS CHURCH SCHOOL BOARD takes a moment to flash their own “Welcome Back” message to the schools during its meeting Tuesday night. (Screenshot: News-Press) back to the City of Falls Church by Mason High graduate Sarah Snyder to become director of counseling, and the shift from the high school English classroom teacher to Mason Assistant Principal by GMHS grad Peter Laub. At Henderson, Adam White is coming on as an assistant principal, Brittany Allen-Shaw joining the Special Education administration, Darius Coulibaly to the Lighthouse program and Dr. Rory Dippold as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years

Program coordinator. Noonan said that the Thackrey Preschool experienced “greater engagement than expected with some new kids that were not planned for.” The first-day challenge included that “we weren’t able to get all connected” online. At Mt. Daniel, all the teachers were leading from their classrooms. At Thomas Jefferson, it was reported that some students were finding it difficult “to stay focused” during the school day.

Continued on Page 30

1 1 2 5 W. B r o a d S t . , F a l l s C h u r c h , V A

$199 PER MONTH MONTH LEASE $199 DUE AT SIGNING! 36 12,000 MILES/YEAR*

2020 KIA

SORENTO

Stock# 7611C. MSRP: $29,495. On approved credit. Must finance through KIA Motors Finance. $219 Due at signing, plus VA tax, tag, freight, acquisition fee and processing fee of $799. $0.00 security deposit required. Offer Expires 2/6/2020

PAGE 6 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 

One of the Nation’s Foremost Weekly Newspapers, Serving N. Virginia

(Published Weekly by Benton Communications, Inc.)

FOUNDED IN 1991

Vol. XXX, No. 28 August 27 – September 2, 2020 • City of Falls Church ‘Business of the Year’ 1991 & 2001 • • Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Publish Official Legal Notices • • Member, Virginia Press Association •

N�� F. B�� O�� E��-I�-C�� .��

N�� G�� A�� S�� A�� .��

M�� D�� N�� E��

��.��

M�� M�� A�� O�� .��

C�� C��, T�� W�� C�� T�� W�� C�� E�� J�� I�� C�� M�� .��

T� C�� N��-P�� : 703-532-3267 ��: 703-342-0347 ��: ��.�� .�� .�� .�� .��

WWW.FCNP.COM The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area. Offices are at 105 N. Virginia Ave.., #310, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2020 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.

E��

E D I TO R I A L

On the Side Of the Truth

According to a report from the esteemed Editor & Publisher that has served to contribute to the health of the nation’s newspaper industry, alarm bells are being sounded not that the “media” has come under fire at this week’s Republican National Convention, but that it is taking unfair hits in almost every speech. “Many of the 2020 Republican National Convention’s speakers have gone after the media, blaming outlets for targeting Trump supporters and bias against conservatives in its reporting,” it comments. “The many mentions of the media at the RNC illustrate that media bias remains an important theme that party leaders believe will resonate with their conservative base ahead of November’s election.” It adds, “The president and many of his conservative allies have spent years framing the media as the ‘enemy of the people’ and the Republican Party. Those efforts have created an environment where it’s now the norm for conservative lawmakers and leaders to bash the media publicly.” In just the first two days of the RNC convention, a generalized “the media” has been identified as the “enemy” by no fewer than 11 speakers. This is a case where repeating a refrain often enough contributes to a dangerous dispassionate passivity. Over the years of the Trump presidency, the non-stop refrain has numbed the public’s concern for the kind of outrageous lying and dissembling that has characterized Trump from his very first day in the White House when his press secretary, the lamentable Sean Spicer, had the audacity to insist that “the media” ignore the evidence of its own eyes and ears and accept that the Inauguration ceremonies of the day before were choked with millions of adoring fans of the president. To any honest observer, that was downright stunning, but they got away with it because there are just too many people who blew it off as no big deal. So it has led to a growing drumbeat, led by Trump himself, to discredit the media and push ahead with outrageous claims to buoy his personal agenda, even as he’s had to discredit related institutions tasked with advancing the truth against lying, such as the court system and intelligence community. For Trump and his sycophants to insist that truth is what he says it is, without regard for any contrary evidence, is to disenfranchise and strip from every citizen a most vital precondition for justice. Sadly, enough of the U.S. population has been lulled, bullied or brainwashed into making it appear that truth is only another political football. Too much of “the media” has failed to correct this error and for too long, Fox News has been little more than a deceptive partisan battering ram against truth itself in its inordinately powerful role as an alternative to the “mainstream media.” The News-Press, with our imperfections but a passionate commitment, stands staunchly on the side of truth, objective truth not Trump’s perversions. We urge our readers to do likewise.

L��

W&OD Trail Renovations Denude Path’s Natural Feel Editor, I daw the recent destruction of all the vines and foliage along the bike trail from Great Falls to Grove St. It was rather disturbing to see after 40 years of that being there. I’m sure the houses on the bike trail liked the privacy it offered. I should know as I grew up on Lincoln Ave. It provided habitat, nesting areas for birds, foxes, rabbit holes, etc. Seems like there should have been a better

environmentally sound way to create a bike path. For over 50 years the electric company and Nova Parks has butchered trees when they are nowhere near power lines. Their crews have no training whatsoever in how to properly prune trees and it’s obvious in the destruction along the bike path. They killed the beautiful flowering and fragrant trees at the Great Falls Park bench and then left

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

P�� 1. Keep the news clean and fair.

2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy. 3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment. 4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe. 5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.

6. Give “value received” for every dollar you take in. 7. Make the paper show profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

ADVERTISE IN THE

The News-Press is delivered to every household and many businesses in the City of Falls Church (22046), and to many homes and businesses (but not all) in the adjacent 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044 and 22205 zip codes. Its total circulation of 10,000 per issue is greater than any other newspaper in the distribution area, including dailies. For complete advertising information, call us or check out our web site.

Call 532-3267 x2274 or visit www.FCNP.com

All original and some syndicated content is accessible via the Falls Church News-Press online site, www.FCNP.com. FCNP.com also includes photos, stories, ads and more not appearing in the print edition.

For information on online advertising, please contact Nick Gatz at 703-532-3267 or ngatz@fcnp.com. ONLINE

them there to rot. They killed them and then left the dead trees standing there. They killed a beautiful Japanese maple by cutting the limbs at the top in a bowl shape causing it to die. Walkers beware: There will be no more honey suckle, black eyed Susans and birds twittering and rabbits. Two deer which I’d seen once before behind the brush and greenery were now standing there staring at me in disbelief as if to say “Where’s my folliage? I feel naked.” Now its going to be just pavement and the sun beating down on you. You’ve created a real nice walking trail now. All because bikers

can’t ride normally and have to pretend they are in the Tour de France. Jen Smith Falls Church

[ TALK TO US ] Send us a letter and let us know what you think. Email: letters@fcnp.com Mail: Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Avenue #310, Falls Church, VA 22046

CO MME NT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 7

G � � � � C � � � � � �� F.C. Schools Eager To Meet Challenge of Virtual Start B� F�� K��

The last six months have been challenging for teachers, as we have been buffeted not only by our own hopes and expectations for school, but also by those of our local communities and nation. We all want to be back in the classroom, face to face with our students and each other, as soon as it can be done safely, but as we have witnessed events unfolding in schools across the country over the past weeks, with universities and school systems that have tried to open up only to be peremptorily shut down by Covid outbreaks, it’s difficult to know just how long we’ll all be living in the shared reality of virtual learning. So much feels out of our control that the situation can feel pretty daunting, but if we give each other a little grace I know we can do great things. Since I was in middle school, one of my favorite movies has been “Stand and Deliver,” which shares the true story of Jaime Escalante, a math teacher in East Los Angeles who, over the course of several years, built a calculus program out of nothing, helping his students to achieve successes of which they had always been capable, but never dared dream. In the movie, his recipe for success consists of one essential ingredient: “ganas” – a desire strong enough that it leads one to action. He tells his students, “If you

don’t have the ganas, I will give it to you, because I am an expert.” In life outside the movies, things are always more complicated. Even so, ganas, on the part of his fellow educators, his students, and their parents, was the root of Escalante’s success. It was belief in ganas that fueled their efforts; the belief that they could achieve anything if they

“We’re looking forward to working with our students, and the larger community, this fall.” had the drive to put in the hard work and make it so. While we don’t face the same set of challenges those Angelenos underwent in their struggle to achieve success, over the past months we have all struggled with the uncertainties that accompany this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. Despite that uncertainty, I am confident that we will achieve great things, because the educators of the Falls Church City Public Schools have more ganas than any group of people I have ever worked with. Over the summer, I spent hours in

meetings with colleagues as we put plans in place, first for hybrid learning, and then for a fully virtual fall rollout of school. At Mary Ellen Henderson, where I teach 8th grade, the optional weekly staff meetings over the summer consistently saw a 90 percent turnout among teachers, paraprofessionals and specialists, all of us hungry to get updates and help brainstorm solutions to the many logistical challenges presented by any focused endeavor involving thousands of people. There was a similar level of engagement in every building in the division during those unpaid summer weeks. Over the past weeks, I have worked with colleagues and students to brainstorm ways of building enthusiasm in our school community, for both ideas and each other. I have watched my colleagues learn how to work with new technologies and adjust their long standing practices to meet this new moment. Whether creating bitmoji classrooms that bring a sense of place to cyberspace, or working with new dynamic cameras that bring students into their actual classrooms, educators throughout the district are moving beyond their comfort zones to enhance the comfort of their students. I have worked with colleagues as we adjust the pacing and presentation of concepts and skills to the reality of an online workspace. In many cases, it amounts to rewriting the curriculum from scratch;

devising new tricks that make use of the possibilities afforded by online learning while minimizing the limitations. Here’s one example: the door is pretty much closed on doing group skits when everyone is working from their own home. Suddenly, however, there’s the potential to open a window to radio theater, which can be every bit as evocative and inspiring, and which offers new opportunities for creative problem solving (and historical knowledge) for students. To some extent, however many years of experience each of us has in the classroom, we are all first year teachers this year, with all the giddiness, trepidation and boundless creativity and optimism that come with that status. Fueled by ganas, we are striving to replace uncertainty with possibility by doing everything we can to spark joy, foster community, and nurture understanding in our virtual school environment. I can’t imagine a better group of professionals to set the tone for our schools and the example for our students. We’re looking forward to working with our students, and the larger community, this fall. Farrell Kelly is an 8th Grade Teacher at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, NBCT and President of the Falls Church City Education Association

Q�� W�� Are you in favor of F.C. City adding dual paths to the W&OD Trail? • Yes

• No

• Not sure

Last Week’s Question: Are you pleased with how F.C. City Schools are planning the virtual start to the school year?

8% Yes

Visit www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

[WRITE FOR THE PRESS]

90% No

2% Not Sure FCNP On-Line polls are surveys, not scientiﬁc polls.

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

PAGE 8 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

State of the City

Continued from Page 8

rent financial crisis, but we need to ensure that these unique and beloved local businesses continue to thrive. There is already limited parking in this area and I understand these establishments’ concern, especially during construction. Given the Whole Foods project’s mix of uses and peak parking demand, I hope that we can find a way for the development to provide enough extra dedicated and shared parking to meet all of these businesses’ demand. Ultimately, a more vibrant and successful downtown will benefit all. The project still has much review ahead and there will be many opportunities for all to be heard. N-P: And with commercial real estate being so in flux right now as a result of the pandemic, are you confident that the developers behind the West End project will be able to deliver on their commitments to the City? Tarter: What I am confident about is that Falls Church is a rock solid long-term real estate investment. While I cannot say what will happen over the next few months, I know that we as a city, and I hope our partners, are in it for the long haul. Despite the immediate uncertainty we are currently facing, we need to remember that our ground lease is for 99 years. By the time the developer is ready to put a shovel in the ground, it is possible, if not likely, that this pandemic will be mostly behind us. The West End will be the great place that we are all anticipating. N-P: What will you miss most about Dan Sze’s presence on the City Council after working with him for the past six years? And what trait are you looking for in his replacement during the special election this fall? Tarter: Dan can’t be replaced. He had a passion for this city and continually fought to make it a better, more equitable, and sustainable place for all. Dan loved technology and was never afraid to think and dream big. He had a voracious appetite for knowledge of all kinds, but never took himself too seriously. He was a dear friend who I will miss greatly. It is a huge loss for the city. In terms of Dan’s successor, a passion for the city is where it all begins and ends. N-P: On a similar note, what will you miss most about Barb

Cram and her efforts in creating a culture for the City? Tarter: Like Dan, Barb Cram is irreplaceable. She had a boundless energy that she harnessed for the benefit of this city. Whether it was Falls Church Arts, Watch Night, the CATCH Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, or downtown flower baskets, Barb did it all and she did it all with an easy-going charm and humility. Her life was focused on service to others. With justification, Barb was honored with every award the city has to offer. She was one of my favorite people. N-P: What’s your stance on schools reopening virtually to start the year? Do you have a guess as to when students will return to learning in the classroom? Tarter: I think that the schools made the right decision. When it comes to our kids, health and safety come first. I have two children at George Mason High School and a wife who works at Mt. Daniel Elementary School. I know it’s going to be a challenging year, but I have confidence in our school leadership. The year has just started but the schools seem to have made great strides with their virtual learning. With the coronavirus surging in many parts of the country and even within Virginia, they made the right call. N-P: The name of George Mason High School, as well as Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, have come under scrutiny for how these Founding Fathers treated slaves. In your opinion, do these figures deserve to be honored by having a school named after them? Tarter: We should continue to reexamine those we honor and exalt. We have rightly removed monuments to Confederates who fought to preserve slavery and white supremacy and to fracture our country — good riddance to them. Jefferson and Mason, although deeply flawed, present a more complex case. I understand those who believe that no person who owned another, no matter what era, should be lauded. Jefferson and Mason participated in, and profited from this most odious institution. They also played significant roles in the founding of the nation and creating our system of government, including the Bill of Rights. Should we as a city ensure that those we venerate continue to reflect our values? Yes, I think so. I welcome further community introspection

LO CA L and discussion on this issue. We can never be afraid to consider our past. N-P: Falls Church joined the nation in hosting demonstrations following the death of George Floyd, including one you spoke at in Cherry Hill Park on June 7. What did the City’s participation in the demonstrations represent about its values? Tarter: I really saw the community come together. I was impressed by the diversity at the events — people from all races, religions and backgrounds. I was proud of our students and young people who played such a prominent role in organizing and leading the events. It affirmed my belief that Falls Church is a caring, inclusive community that is welcoming to all. N-P: At the same time, Virginia was still in its Phase 1 reopening at that time where gatherings were limited to 10 people or less; the event easily had hundreds of people attend. Was it responsible for you to endorse such a gathering with your presence in the middle of a pandemic? Tarter: It’s a fair question. To my mind, there were two competing and very important issues presented that day: The health precautions associated with the pandemic, and the need to stand up for long overdue racial justice and reform. I would note that I wore a mask as did almost all of the folks that I saw there, but ultimately to me it was most important to stand with the community. I wanted everyone to know, unambiguously, that in this city, the government is on their side. N-P: The City recently approved a ban on guns while on public property, which will go into effect in November. It’s unclear whether mass shooters intentionally target places that are designated as gun free zones, but there’s enough examples — Parkland in 2018 and most famously Sandy Hook in 2012 — where it’s fair to wonder if that is a motivating factor. What would you say to residents and visitors to the City who question how much safer the gun ban will make Falls Church? Tarter: I am not sure that I agree that there is evidence that mass shooters intentionally target gun free zones. Irrespective, I believe our parks, library, and rec center are safer for our kids now that they are gun free. Falls Church is a safe place; we aim to keep it that way. Guns do not

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

TARTER BELIEVES the school’s made the right call in starting the year virtually, and as it relates to the names of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson on school buildings, Falls Church needs to “reexamine those we honor and exalt.” (Courtesy Photo) need to be everywhere. N-P: Lastly, you just tied the record for being re-elected as Mayor four consecutive times. What’s your proudest accomplishment during your six years as the leading political figure in the City? Tarter: First, let me say that I think we as a city have accomplished much these past years, but the credit goes mainly to our citizens who work hard, pay taxes, and do the heavy lifting for our community. My colleagues on council — Marybeth Connelly, Phil Duncan, Letty

Hardi, Ross Litkenhous, and Dave Snyder — bring a wealth of talent and diligence to the office. Some of the things that we as a city can be proud of include our first ever triple AAA bond rating, creating a more walkable and vibrant downtown with new attractions like movie theaters and grocery stores, and the soon to completed, state of the art high school. Most recently, I am proud to see how our community has come together to get through these trying times. It has been an honor to serve this city as mayor.

855-940-2635 BOGO 40% OFF

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h

NEWS BRIEFS

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 9

FOR RENT IN FALLS CHURCH CITY

Beyer Assails GOP Inaction on Supplemental Relief U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, issued a statement Tuesday noting that it has been over two weeks since Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin predicted states would have the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) unemployment program created by Executive Order up and running within two weeks, but only two states reported having actually distributed aid through the program. “Economists, governors, and workers widely agree that President Trump’s smoke and mirrors executive orders simply are not good enough,” said Rep. Beyer, Vice Chair of Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. “It has been a month now since Senate Republicans shamefully allowed enhanced unemployment benefits to expire. The American people need real relief that fights the pandemic and puts money in workers’ pockets – posturing and gimmicks will not solve the enormous problems they face. If the White House does not get serious about the level of aid that is needed it will imperil the economic recovery.”

Del. Simon to Host Creative Perpetuation of Labor Day Tradition State Del. Marcus Simon, whose 53rd District represents the City of Falls Church, has announced that he’ll perpetuate a longstanding Labor Day tradition instituted by his predecessor, the late Del. Jim Scott. “There is something to be said for tradition,” Del. Simon wrote this week, “So I’m hosting a socially distant version of my Annual Jim Scott Labor Day BBQ to allow us an opportunity to keep this 30+ year tradition going.” As a result, on Monday, Sept. 7 from 4 – 6 p.m,, Del. Scott’s surviving spouse, Nancy Scott, will join Simon in hosting a drive through BBQ pickup in the Fairfax Democratic Committee parking lot. “While we won’t be able to hang out in Nancy’s backyard or even do the traditional speeches from the balcony this year, we still wanted to offer an opportunity to say hello in person,” Simon wrote. “There won’t be any congregating during this event.”

Long-Time F.C. Optometrist Announces Involuntary Departure Dr. Peter Ellis, for over two decades a Falls Church optometrist who worked at the Point of View Eyewear on West Broad, issued a statement that he is leaving due to the sale of the Point of View business. “I am writing this email to inform you, after 21 years, I am sadly no longer at Point of View,” he wrote this week. He added that on Aug. 7, Point of View owners sold their part of the eye care establishment “without informing or including me.” He said, “The new ownership gave me no reason/incentive to stay there. I truly had no choice but to leave Point of View with my practice and patient records. This is not the way that I planned to exit my practice after all these years. Just to let you know that the new doctor(s) at Point of View are associates of the new ownership and I am not acquainted with them and have nothing to do with their employment.” He wrote to his patients, “It has been very enjoyable getting to know you and your family. I want to thank you for all the years of practice and how rewarding it has been for me. I am currently looking for a new place to move my practice, but it will not occur until the Covid-19 virus is no longer a risk. In the meantime, I am still able to get you your regular contact lens supplies and can answer any of your eye care questions.”

Circuit Court Rules in Favor of Transgender Rights The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia yesterday ruled in favor of Gavin Grimm, the student who began a legal challenge five years ago, deciding that restroom policies segregating transgender students from their peers and denying transgender student accurate transcripts are unconstitutional and violate Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The decision came after a five-year long court battle that began when the American Civil Liberties Union filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against the Gloucester Country School Board for adopting a discriminatory policy requiring Grimm and other transgender students to use “alternative private” restrooms. Grimm, who began a legal fight as a sophomore in high school in 2015, said, “All transgender students should have what I was denied, the opportunity to be seen for who we are by our schools and our government. Today’s decision is an incredible affirmation for not just me, but for trans youth around the country.”

Falls Church City Townhome rental. Available 9/16, $2,700/1 year lease. 3 bedroom, 2 full + 2 half bath end unit with spacious fenced yard, in the heart of Falls Church City one block from Harris Teeter. Please call or text Dan, (703) 731-8433

PAGE 10 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

LO CA L

News-Press

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Community News & Notes trunk, and a volunteer will unload them for you. The drive will benefit the Falls Church Community Service Council food pantry. The pantry is in urgent need for the following items: Rice; beans (canned and dry); canned peas; canned tomatoes; jelly; peanut butter; cereal; pancake mix; canned tuna or meat; ravioli; spaghetti sauce; pasta; mac and cheese; cooking oil; laundry detergent; dish detergent; shampoo; toothbrushes; any cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer

Shrevewood Students Buy Books from Diverse Authors

will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Shrevewood Elementary families with children in kindergarten through second grade created a fundraiser to purchase fiction books featuring people of color (POC) and were written by POC authors, as well as age-appropriate and accurate non-fiction books about POC to donate to their classroom libraries. To give their children an additional opportunity to use their voices to make a difference, they will also be hosting a socially distanced neighborhood booth sale of pre-packaged drinks and snacks in August to continue the fundraising. One goal of the sale is to help diversify the children’s classroom libraries.

No-Contact Food Drive At F.C. Episcopal Saturday

New Principal Welcomed At Longfellow Middle School

The Falls Church Episcopal is sponsoring a no-contact food drive on Saturday Aug. 29 from 9 a.m. – noon. The drive will be held in the church’s upper parking lot at 166 E. Broad St. in downtown Falls Church. You put the food in disposable bags in your trunk, pull into the lot, pop the

Jim Patrick, currently serving as director of student activities at Lake Braddock Secondary School, has been named the new principal of Longfellow Middle, effective Aug. 3. At McLean High School, he served for eight years as a social studies and physical education

EARLIER THIS MONTH, the City of Falls Church held its first court session for Juvenile and Domestic Relations cases. The courtroom, which also gets used as the meeting chambers for the City Council, the City’s Planning Commission and Falls Church School Board, hadn’t been used for the past five months due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo: Courtesy George Varoutsos)

Candelight March Tonight At Jefferson Village Park The Jefferson Village Civic Association invites all residents and community members to join in commemorating the March on Washington of 1963 with its own Candlelight March tonight at 8 p.m. at Jefferson Village Park. Fairfax County Providence District Supervisor as well as the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation are expected to attend. The march will be brief and within the neighborhood. The park is located

at 6798 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church (Rt. 50 & Tripps Run Road) and will proceed through the Jefferson Village neighborhood. Candles will be provided and the JVCA asks that attendees wear masks and maintain six feet of distance from one another during the march. If anyone cannot attend, they are asked to show their support by placing a luminary bag in front of their house that evening to demonstrate that everyone shares the same dream — that “children will one day live in a nation where they

teacher, assistant director of student activities and director of student activities. He moved to Lake Braddock in 2018 as director of student activities, supporting students in grades 7-12 with academics, athletics and all extra-curricular programs. He began his career as a social studies teacher in Prince William County Public Schools. Patrick also serves as an adjunct professor at George Mason University. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and education from the University of Rhode Island, a masters of education degree from Virginia Tech, and a doctor of education degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech.

Annual Run for Schools Gets Personalized This Year In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, participants in the Falls Church Education Foundation’s annual Run for the Schools 5K can pick the time, day and their own course anywhere between Sept. 11 – 13. Event organizers will still offer t-shirts, mascot appearances and school spirit. To register for the race, visit fcedf.org/run-for-theschools.html. Those who participate are asked to use #VirtualFCEFRun2020 over social media to celebrate their training and race day. This year’s award categories include: • We’ve got spirit, yes, we do! — The best edition of school spirit wear. • We are family — Best family photo op. • You can go your own way — The most creative route taken • Believe in your selfie — Best post-race selfie.

Send Us Your News & Notes!

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

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

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Goodwin House Group Wins Advocacy Award

LeadingAge Virginia has selected the Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads Silver Panther Huddle as the winners of the 2020 Advocacy Award. This annual award recognizes individuals – or in this case, a group – “for exceptional achievement in advocacy initiatives that have advanced the nonprofit mission, expanded the possibilities for aging, and/or improved the legal, public and/or regulatory environment influencing the provision of aging services” or which “champions resident life enrichment and exceptional care delivery.” Nearly 100 Goodwin House residents are involved in the Huddle. The broader group organizes smaller “huddles” that each individually focus on specific topics such as health care, the environment, redistricting, immigration and refugees, LGBTQ+ issues and

stopping gun violence. Residents choose their level of involvement. Group members (known as “Huddlers”) write postcards or letters, call officials and sponsor informational events open to all residents. Many Huddlers are also active in non-partisan activities — they staff polling places, encourage voter registration and help other residents who may want to vote early or absentee. The Silver Panther Huddle also responds to LeadingAge Virginia requests to contact local officials about issues relevant to residents of Life Plan Communities. Some of what the Silver Panther Huddle has accomplished, and why they were selected for this honor: Worked to keep medical deductions in the 2017 Tax Bill, a deduction the House originally eliminated; investigated proposed Medicare changes, opposing ones that had a negative impact on seniors; monitored the attempted roll-back of national and

LO CA L state environmental protections in legislation and policies; collected signatures on a petition in favor of redistricting; supported DACA legislation and scholarships for Dreamers while monitoring other immigration legislation and supported legislation to ban discrimination against Virginians who identify with the LBGTQ+ community and urged businesses to say they welcome customers from the LBGTQ+ community while promoting SAGE (Service and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) CARE training for Goodwin House staff. Even during the pandemic, the Huddlers have continued their important work. When Covid19 kept residents from engaging in local events about justice and equality, Huddlers organized a vigil on the GHBC campus in memory of George Floyd. Residents and staff were able to safely attend, allowing them to participate in the wider movement toward equality.

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 11

EXCITEMENT ABOUNDS (well, at least for some) as Falls Church City Public Schools kicks off its virtual start to the school year. While not all students may be thrilled about losing the atmosphere that comes with their getting their education, it hasn’t dampened the ability of teachers to deliver the lessons in effective and creative ways. And administrators, such as Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School principal Valerie Hardy (left), are keeping staff and student morale high with their own virtual presence throughout the school day. (Photos: Courtesy FCCPS)

EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A

DiscoverTheForest.org

Naturehood

CO MME NT

PAGE 12 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

Last week’s Democratic National Convention proved, perhaps surprisingly, that the political process can be well-served, and well done, without all the hoopla that usually frames the selection of a party’s candidate for the presidency. Having watched or participated in national conventions for decades, I found I didn’t miss the balloons, the signs, the funny hats – the souvenir stuff of such events. Without those distractions, you could focus on the words in the speeches themselves, the hope and the warnings alike. Food for thought, definitely, and a galvanizing call to action. The 2020 election will determine the direction of our nation for many years —unity and hope working together to maintain and improve our democracy, or more dystopia, lying, buffoonery, self-aggrandizement, and amorality that are the hallmarks of the current administration. I was tempted to mute the roll call of the states, thinking it would be dull. It was anything but! It had a flavor that highlighted the essence of this nation – out of many, one. No “flyover” states here; viewers got a quick schooling, minute by minute, about what makes this nation unique —its diversity in people and geography, in old traditions and new cultures. There was no question what the final result of the roll call votes would be. Former Vice President Joe Biden easily won the nomination over independent Senator Bernie Sanders, but the virtual tour reinforced what is at stake in this election — the soul, and future, of the nation. As the nation prepares to vote, the vote itself is the subject of a lot of chaos and misinformation. Mr. Trump insists that voting by mail is inherently fraudulent and is attempting to hobble the United States Postal Service by cutting funding and staff. The Postal Service is one of the oldest and most popular agencies in this country, relied upon by tens of millions of residents in daily life. Until now, inciting nationwide fear and mistrust was not an

approach used by occupants of the White House. Despite attempts to de-legitimize this year’s election process, several basic facts are important to remember. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Virginia polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m., just like always. If you wish to vote by mail, you can apply for an absentee ballot (ballots are not sent automatically; you must submit an application). You can apply now, but the Electoral Board will not send out ballots until September 18. That also is the day that early voting/absentee in-person voting begins at the Office of Elections, 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax. Fairfax County also will operate 14 satellite locations for in-person absentee voting, including the Mason District Governmental Center, but those locations will not be open for voting until Wednesday, October 14. Voting hours at satellite locations will be from 1 until 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Last day to vote at a satellite location is Saturday, October 31. Drop-off collections boxes for ballots are not permitted in Virginia but, in the special session of the Virginia General Assembly, Governor Ralph Northam proposed allowing drop off ballot boxes in each jurisdiction. As I write this column, the legislature has not acted on the proposal, but having drop boxes at the satellite voting sites would be beneficial for those who are concerned about the Postal Service right now. “Vote early and often” is an old Chicago gag, but voting early is no joke. It’s safe, it’s quick, and it’s legal. Whether by mail, in-person absentee, or at your polling place on Election Day, VOTE!  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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

CRIME REPORT Week of August 17 – 23, 2020 Destruction of Property/Graffiti, 1000 blk W Broad St. August 17, unknown suspect(s) spray painted graffiti on a commercial dumpster. Motor Vehicle Theft, 400 blk Cleave Dr. August 17, unknown suspect(s) stole a motor vehicle from a residential driveway. Driving Under the Influence, 7100 blk Leesburg Pk. August 20, 11:34 PM, a female, 25, of Annandale, VA, was arrested for driving under the influence. Motor Vehicle Theft, 500 blk Roosevelt Blvd. Between August 11 and August 21, unknown suspect(s) stole a motor vehicle from a residen-

blk Railroad Ave. Between August 22 and August 23, unknown suspect(s) stole a license plate from a parked vehicle.

tial parking lot. Death Investigation, 500 blk S Washington St. August 22, 2:36 AM, police received a report of an individual lying in the roadway. Police responded and located an adult male who was determined by medical personnel to be deceased. The investigation is on-going. Destruction of Property/Graffiti, 400 and 600 blk W Broad St. August 23, unknown suspect(s) spray painted graffiti on a bus stop and on a concrete walkway. Destruction of Property/Graffiti, 400 blk Sherrow Ave. August 23, unknown suspect(s) spray painted graffiti on the sidewalk. Larceny from Motor Vehicle, 1000

www.FCNP.com

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

From the Front Row: Delegate Kaye Kory’s

Richmond Report The General Assembly convened for a special session on Tuesday in Richmond — the House at the VCU Segiel Center where all 100 could socially distance. We were advised by the Virginia Health Department to wear masks. With the exception of a few Delegates, mask-wearing was split along partisan lines: Democrats wore masks and Republicans did not. We argued for hours about virtual meeting rules, again along partisan lines. Current HOD rules do not allow virtual attendance to count towards a quorum or allow virtual voting, We finally passed a rules resolution and sent it to the Senate. The Senate unanimously rejected our resolution. Sad to start with absolutely no cooperation within or between the bodies. This special session is necessary to bring relief to the many Virginians who need economic and health assistance now and to bring justice to those suffering under our current policing methods and criminal justice system. This suffering is not just lofty words — I am talking about real people with real pain. I planned to tell my colleagues on Tuesday about my friends who are examples of those real people, the real pain and real injustice. But there was no break in the partisan sparing over rules to tell these stories, so I tell you here. Bijan Ghaisar was a longtime friend. Our families have been friends for years. Bijan was a young man not long out of college, starting his career in his father’s CPA firm. He was charming, bright and much loved. And he was brown, a major factor in his death.He died in November 2017 at the hands of the Park Police. He was stopped for questioning about a fender-bender. Sitting in his car, he was shot in the head by the officers who had stopped him. SHOT IN THE HEAD. He died a few days later. His family was and is shattered. Their pain has been increased and drawn out to this day because they have not been given an accounting of his murder. They have not been accorded the respect and recognition of loss they deserve. They have been

ignored, treated as if Bijan’s life had no value, by their son’s killers. While the Park Police are federal officers, Fairfax County must grant them permission to legally operate with weapons and full authority in our county, and has done so through an MWAA agreement. Tony Brown is my friend who Believes in Second Chances. Tony was convicted of malicious felony robbery and sentenced to prison until 2058. While incarcerated at Powhatan and Greensville, he transformed himself into a responsible and conscientious leader, actively working to improve the lives of his fellow inmates and those who worked with them. He became an Assistant Pastor, a GED teacher’s aide for 15 years, an assistant librarian and mentor. He built community by organizing events such as spelling bees and youth basketball tournaments. He was affectionately known as Mayor Tony. He received a pardon from our Governor and was released this April. He is now employed by the robbery victim, who speaks highly of his character and work ethic. Tony worked hard to deserve a pardon, but he shouldn’t have had to go through the arduous and painfully uncertain pardon process to be released back to his family after such a total rehabilitation. He should have had the opportunity for parole; he should have been able to achieve Earned Sentencing Credits (ESC) to reduce his prison time. Knowing Tony led me to Chief Co-Sponsor the ESC bill in the House for this special session. He doesn’t speak of criminal justice racism, but like most incarcerated black men, I know he has suffered from it. Bijan should not have lost his life. Tony should not have been imprisoned with no hope of parole. Real people like Bijan and Tony and their families are victims of an unforgiving and racist system. We have an opportunity now to change — we must take it.  Delegate Kory represents the 38th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. She may be emailed at DelKKory@house.virginia.gov.

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 13

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH

2020

or the Eleventh consecutive year, Falls Church News-Press readers filled out ballots and cast their votes to support their favorite places to eat, drink, shop and more in and around The Little City.

This year, 35 winners have been selected in categories representing the City’s best purveyors of food, drink, retail services and more. On the following pages, you’ll find many repeat winners along with many first-timers, hoping to start a “Best Of” win streak of their own. Read on for all of your selections in the News-Press’s 2020 Best of Falls Church.

Photos by J. Michael Whalen & Sal Said

BEST

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

Bakeshop

Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen

130 N Washington St., Falls Church

100 E Fairfax St., Falls Church

7049 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

American

Audacious Aleworks • Dogwood Tavern • Open Road • Liberty Barbecue

Bakery

Cafe Kindred • Happy Tart Bakery • Northside Social

Breakfast

Cafe Kindred • IHOP • Northside Social • Original Pancake House

PAGE 14 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020|

BEST Brunch

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

2020

FOOD & DRINK READER VOTE

BEST Burger

BEST Chicken

Northside Social

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

Super Chicken

205 Park Ave, Falls Church

130 N Washington St., Falls Church

422 S Washington St., Falls Church 22046

RUNNERS-UP:

BEST

Northside Social

Delivery Food Farmers Market Vendor Lost Dog Cafe

205 Park Ave. , Falls Church

5876 Washington Blvd, Arlington

Chris’s Crab Cake Stand

RUNNERS-UP:

Cafe Kindred • Dogwood Tavern • Ireland’s 4 p’s • Open Road

Coffee Shop

Bakeshop • Happy Tart Bakery • Rare Bird • Starbucks

Dogwood Tavern • Elevation Burger • Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen • Open Road

Hunan Cafe • Moby Dick Kabob • Open Road • Paisano’s

Crisp and Juicy • Liberty BBQ • Open Road • Spin Pollo

Farmers Market, Falls Church

Atwater’s Bakery • Black Rock Orchard • Borek G Turkish Cuisine • Mushroom Stand

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020|

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 15

2020

FOOD & DRINK READER VOTE

BEST

Frozen Treat

International

New Restaurant

Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen

Haandi Indian Cuisine

Thompson Italian

7049 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

1222 W Broad St., Falls Church

124 N Washington St., Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

Bakeshop • Cafe Kindred • Little City Creamery • Sweet Frog

Audacious Aleworks • Lucky Thai • Maneki Neko • Saffron Indian Cuisine

Audacious Aleworks • Baddpizza • Raina’s Love Bowl • Solace Outpost

Drs. Love & Miller, PC

Melanie R. Love, DDS, Mark A. Miller, DDS

FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Make an appointment with this award winning dental team.

www.loveandmiller.com 450 W. Broad Street, Suite 440, Falls Church, VA 22046 703-241-2911 (office) • 703-534-3521 (fax)

Thank You for the honor of your votes. We are humbled and grateful for the support of our patients and our community during this challenging time. We have been part of Falls Church for over 25 years and appreciate the many times that we have been nominated and have won Best Dentist. 2020

PAGE 16 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020 |

BEST

2020

READER VOTE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BEST

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

Pizzeria Orso

Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen

130 N Washington St., Falls Church

400 S Maple Ave., Falls Church

7049 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

BEST

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

Smokey’s Garage

Wells Fargo

130 N Washington St., Falls Church

1105 W Broad St., Falls Church

1000 W. Broad St. Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

Outside Dining

Audacious Aleworks • Dogwood Tavern • Northside Social • Open Road

Seafood

Caribbean Plate • Chasing Tails • Hot N Juicy Crawfish • TRIO

Pizza

Baddpizza • Flippin Pizza • Open Road • Paisano’s

Auto

Beyer Automotive • Falls Church Auto Body • Koon’s Ford • Integrity Auto

Sandwich

Audacious Aleworks • Cafe Kindred • Dogwood Tavern • Open Road

Bank

Apple Federal Credit Union • BB&T • Burke & Herbert • SunTrust

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020|

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 17

2020

RETAIL & SERVICES READER VOTE

BEST

Chiropractor

City Event

Dentist

Dr. Perih

Farmer’s Market

Drs. Love & Miller

803 W Broad St. #240, Falls Church

300 Park Ave., Falls Church

450 W Broad St. #440

RUNNERS-UP:

• Brooks Chiropractic • Dr. Chantay Bess • Solano Spine & Sport

Memorial Day Festivities • Taste of Falls Church • Tinner Hill Music Festival • Watch Night

2020

Thank You For Voting Us The Best Salon in Falls Church Our New Location

510 S. Washington St. Falls Church, VA 22046 703-533-8777 rexdayspa.com

Dr. Peterson Huang • Dr. Joseph Cusimano • Dr. Rachel Valltos • Dr. William Dougherty

PAGE 18 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020|

BEST Doctor

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

2020

RETAIL & SERVICES READER VOTE

BEST Dry Cleaners

BEST Grocery Store

Northern Virginia Pediatric Associates

Spectrum Cleaners

Trader Joe’s

107 N Virginia Ave, Falls Church

450 W Broad St, Falls Church

7514 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

BEST

Brown’s Hardware

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

100 W Broad St, Falls Church

130 N Washington St., Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

Dr. Gordon Theisz • Dr. Lisa Kelly • Dr. Philip O’Donnell • Little Falls Family Practice

Gym/Fitness Orangetheory Fitness 510 S Washington St., Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

24-Hour Fitness • Body Dynamics • Jazzercise • Karma Yoga • Orangetheory Fitness Falls Church

Classic Cleaners • Clean World • Eagle Cleaners • Hillwood Cleaners

Home Improvment

DuBro Architects + Builders • GreenSpur • House Doctors of Falls Church • Sislers Stone

Aldi • Giant • Harris Teeter • Whole Foods

Live Entertainment

Falls Church Distillers • JV’s Restaurant • Open Road Grill • State Theatre

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020|

BEST

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 19

2020

RETAIL & SERVICES READER VOTE

BEST

New Business Professional Services Thompson Italian 124 N Washington St., Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

Audacious Aleworks • Solace Outpost • Karma Yoga • Toy Nest

Real Estate Agent

Falls Church Wellness Center Tori McKinney 520 N Washington St. #100, Falls Church

2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100 Arlington

RUNNERS-UP:

Diener & Associates • GreenSpur, Inc. Bethany Ellis • Chris Earman • Sunstone Counseling • Wilhelm & Associates, Ltd. • Elliot Oliva • Natasha Kennedy

FALLS CHURCH CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Ted Perih

Thank You Falls Church

2020

I appreciate everyone who voted me for Best Chiropractor in Falls Church. I continue to strive to do my best for our community as I have over the last 35 years. Thank you very much for this honor.

Dr. Ted Perih

803 W. Broad St. Ste. 240 703-533-7707 FallsChurchchiro.com

Congratulations

2020 Winners

From: Everyone at the Falls Church News-Press 703-532-3267 • fcnp@fcnp.com

PAGE 20 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

BEST OF FALLS CHURCH 2020|

BEST

Real Estate Group

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

2020

BEST

RETAIL & SERVICES READER VOTE

Retirement Community

BEST

Salon

• Rock Star Realty - Tori McKinney The Kensington

Rex Day Spa

2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100 Arlington

700 W Broad St, Falls Church

510 S Washington St, Falls Church

RUNNERS-UP:

BEST

NEWS-PRESS

Frankly Real Estate • NBI Realty Chesterbrook Residences • Powhatan Nursing Home Ladan Spa • Kess Hair & Skincare • Nash Hair Design • Perfect Endings • The Oliva Home Group • The Chrissy + Lisa Team • Sunrise Senior Living

School

Specialty Store Staff Pick

George Mason High School

Doodlehopper

Worst Stop Light

7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

100 E Fairfax St, Falls Church

Great Falls St. & Little Falls St. Intersection

RUNNERS-UP:

CommuniKids • Congressional • St. James • Thomas Jefferson Elementary

Audacious Aleworks • Botanologica • Lost Whiskey • Stylish Patina

Hillwood Ave & Annadale Rd. • N. West & W. Broad St.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Trumpers Go Very Low

Last week, at the Democratic National Convention, I was enormously moved by the speech given on the first night by former First Lady Michelle Obama that set the tone for the entire four-day virtual event. Her speech was a passionate appeal to the “higher angels” of our nature, to return to the national policies of grace, opportunity and second chances. I quoted from it extensively in my column in this space last week as I am convinced its concepts are what will ensure to carry our great democratic nation into its bright future. Other speeches that were delivered after the deadline for this column proved equally profound, striking at the core of the nation’s soul and the soul of its people. President Obama, Sen. FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS Bernie Sanders, vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and, of course, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden all echoed the same theme about the leadership of the country and its freedom-loving, generous people. A compendium of the speeches should be bound into a single volume and taught in a revival of the time-honored dedication to the study and practice of civics in our public schools. It would make a major textbook, and an historic one at that, given the unparalleled crises assailing us this summer. The speeches taken together spoke to the essence of what a democracy is all about, and why it is so worth fighting for. You see, democracies only work for cultures that uphold high and generous qualities of the souls of its people. If you treat the average woman or man like dirt, or think they are dirt, you can never be a reliable advocate for democracy. By the sharpest of contrasts, speeches given at this week’s Republican National Convention have distinguished themselves by going in the opposite direction, by going “low” into a dark and frightening appeal to fear and division. Take the example of Trump true believer Kimberly Guilfoyle, who screamed her entire speech Monday such that it had social media buzzing all day Tuesday. Her rant was a raw appeal to the basest human emotion: fear. She said of Trump’s Democratic opponents, “They want open borders, closed schools, dangerous amnesty, and will selfishly send your jobs back to China while they get rich. They will defund, dismantle, and destroy America’s law enforcement. When you are in trouble and need police, don’t count on the Democrats.” She added, “Rioters must not be allowed to destroy our cities. Human sex drug traffickers should not be allowed to cross our border. The same socialist policies which destroyed places like Cuba and Venezuela must not take root in our cities and our schools...They want to destroy this country and everything that we have fought for and hold dear. They want to steal your liberty, your freedom. They want to control what you see and think and believe so that they can control how you live. They want to enslave you to the weak, dependent, liberal victim ideology to the point that you will not recognize this country or yourself.” The screed was taped in advance, so it had to reflect what Trump’s convention organizers wanted. Meanwhile, this week marked the release of the new book by CNN commentator and media critic Brian Stelter entitled, “Hoax, Donald Trump, Fox News and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth.” Stelter has emerged as one of CNN’s most solid news anchors with his own show on Sundays, “Reliable Sources,” with the important role of cutting to the quick on the way in which some media distort the truth, and how Fox News, in particular, serves as the powerful and indispensable propaganda arm of the Trump machine. It is the relentless crossing of the line by Fox News from news to deliberately crafted falsehoods, not as opinion but facts, as led by Sean Hannity, that has defined the Trump administration and its strident cultlike followers, even though, as Stelter reports, Hannity has of-the-record called Trump “batshit crazy.” Stelter cites the work of Peter Pomerantsev’s haunting book title about Russian propaganda methods,”Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible” to describe how “Fox viewers come away with the impression that nothing is truly knowable. Everything is relative.”

CO MME NT

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 21

Nicholas F. Benton

 Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

Confined to their homes with time to ponder, many of our civic activists are rethinking the county’s system of governance. A key question: does the 90-year-old practice of electing board members countywide, with staggered yearly elections, give short shrift to minorities or those representing certain neighborhoods? Two citizen engagement groups have launched exploratory projects that delve back in Arlington’s racial history. The Arlington Civic Federation last month assembled a task force to review that and other questions about modernization — such as whether the county manager should be elected. And a new group called the Arlington Alliance for Representative Government is planning to boost political participation through “education, policy development, advocacy and innovation.” The latter is pursuing “parallel, complimentary activities” as part of a single movement,” I’m told by one proponent, former county board candidate Chanda Choun. The Civic Federation, said president Allan Gajadhar, is still determining the scope of its charge, set in motion by a recent inconclusive effort to seek state permission to adopt ranked voter choices. But the driving problem, he said, is “the idea of inequity. The current system goes back to when there were 20,000 people in the whole county,” he noted (compared with almost 237,000 today). At least

one reason that system was created was “to dilute or mitigate minority voting,” primarily Blacks,” but eventually Latinos, and those from South Arlington. Those communities are now stronger, Gajadhar added, but “can’t make their voices heard if they are outnumbered.” Virginia’s historic practice of minimizing the impact of Black votes “still has impact.” Both groups have studied Arlington’s history going back to the 1930 referendum creating the nation’s first county manager system (elected officials appointing a professional manager for day-today decisions). In 1931, four Black candidates ran for the board and sheriff using the countywide voting districts. All four lost. The losing sheriff candidate was George Vollin, from the Arlington View neighborhood. In the 1970s he was party to a civil lawsuit by Green Valley residents challenging the at-large method, as described in Sherman Pratt’s 1997 Arlington history. Vollin recalled the 1930s voter intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan in his neighborhood. For decades, most successful county board candidates were from North Arlington, Pratt reported. “Precincts with African American neighborhoods voted No to the referendum, but were overridden by the white majority,” says Choun’s group. “After the switch, no person of color was elected to the board until the late 1980s. Since then, there have only been four persons of color: three Black, one

Latino, and zero Asian.” Former county board Chairman John Milliken confirmed to me his continued belief that this 90-yearold approach is still valid for our small community of 26 square miles. “While we have numerous distinct neighborhoods, we have only one community,” he said in a 2017 speech. “Everyone faces the same set of candidates and the same policy choices. That has a unifying effect, even in those infrequent years where the prevailing political atmosphere is `for a change.’ And we have a local election every year…. It means that unhappiness with local government has an outlet and does not have to wait and build up over four years. It also means changes are incremental; the passion of the moment cannot throw all the bums out at once, a recurring problem that has plagued other communities in Virginia.” *** It’s not often that Arlingtonians can celebrate someone who lived through both the 1918 Spanish flu and the current pandemic. Vera Punke is set to mark her 105th birthday on Aug. 29 with a socially distanced dinner, cake servings and drive-by offerings of congratulations planned at the Jefferson retirement community. Event planners have booked county board members, police and fire department officials along with folks from the Commission on Aging to display tributes in the facility’s N. Taylor St. driveway and courtyard. Punke enjoys 10 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the area.

PAGE 22 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

SE NI O R LI V I NG

SENIOR LIVING

S�� N�� L��

Social Media Holds Hidden Dangers BY MATLIDA CHARLES

KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

Even before the lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus, too many seniors felt isolated. Now it’s even worse for many of us with the lack of face-toface interactions ... and we’ve turned to social media for connections to others. There, on Facebook and Twitter, in chat rooms and email lists, we’ve found friends to talk to and pass the hours of this lockdown. We feel happy to have these people at the other end of the keyboard. It’s good for us. Or maybe not. The big problem with social media is that we really don’t know who is on the other end.

The new friend who seems so interested in us might actually be a scammer, just waiting for the right moment to spring the trap and ask for money. How can you refuse, you’ll wonder, if someone you’ve come to know so well asks for help? Or maybe we’ve shared too much information, such as our location or our real name. Or how about the new friend who sends funny cartoons, one of which might contain a virus that leaves our computer open to hackers? Add in an election year, and it’s all too easy to talk online with people who supposedly share our views. Quite commonly they ask for money or contact info.

Some things to think about: If you really want to connect with others on social media, create a fake name for it. Learn how to block people and don’t add just anybody to your network or list. Don’t give out your real name or location, no matter how friendly other people seem. Focus on an area of social media with a narrow, safe focus such as pets, cooking or gardening. Better yet, call up a few people you already know and ask if they’d like to meet for online games, such as chess, or just chatting. They might feel just as isolated as you do and welcome your overture. *** Scammers have come up with even more ways to defraud us, this time using the coronavirus. Contact tracers are people who make calls when someone you know has tested positive for the coronavirus. Their job is to trace the possible path the

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

virus has taken from person to person. They only need health information and the places you’ve been, not financial or personal information. If someone calls you who insists on knowing additional information as part of the contact tracing, hang up. If you get emails or calls from someone saying they have a cure for the virus, or a surefire method of being certain you don’t get it, hang up. Their next questions will likely be to ask for your personal or financial information, or a credit card number so you can pay for shipping. Don’t fall for it. There are no approved test kits or cures that can be handed out to the general public. If you get email that’s supposedly from the government asking about where to send your stimulus relief check, ignore it. The government is not going to contact you about that. They’ll send your check (if you’re eligible for one) in

the mail or they’ll deposit it directly into your account, the same one where they deposit your Social Security benefit. Scammers also will pretend to be people from your bank. If you get a robocall saying you qualify for low-cost coronavirus insurance, hang up. If you get suspicious email that looks like it might be from the government with information about coronavirus, don’t open it, and especially don’t click on any links. Those can put a virus or tracer on your computer. To stay up on the news about the virus, use a legitimate source: www.ftc.gov/coronavirus. On that site you’ll find more information about avoiding coronavirus scams. Beware ... and stay safe  Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

SE NI O R LI V I NG

AUGUST 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 23

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 24 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

Save Now On Home Security Monitored by ADT ® the #1 home security company in the U.S.

GREAT

LOW PRICE

MONITORING

ADT® 24/7 Monitored Home Security 24/7 monitoring provides peace of mind Yard sign and window decals help deter crime Quickly connect to emergency response May qualify for a homeowners insurance discount

PER MONTH

FREE HOME SECURITY SYSTEM ®

FREE SECURITY SYSTEM

New customers only. Early termination fee applies. Installation starts $ at $99 with 36 monitoring 850 VALUE agreement. See all offer

details below.

FREE VISA GIFT CARD From Protect Your Home —$100 Value

FREE WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL —$139 Value

FREE 7 WIRELESS FREE INDOOR HD CAMERA DOOR/WINDOW When you upgrade to ADT SENSORS —$695 VALUE! Video Lite —$299 VALUE!

LIMITED TIME OFFER—CALL TODAY!

1-888-614-5578

See all offer details below. Ask about same-day installation! Reply By Oct 30, 2020

GIFT CARD: $100 Visa Gift Card fulfilled by Protect Your Home through third-party provider, Mpell, upon installation of a security system and execution of monitoring contract. $4.95 shipping and handling fee, gift cards can take up to 8 weeks to arrive after following the Mpell redemption process. BASIC SYSTEM: $99 Installation. 36-Month Monitoring Agreement required at $27.99 per month ($1,007.64). 24-Month Monitoring Agreement required at $27.99 per month ($671.76) for California. Offer applies to homeowners only. Basic system requires landline phone. Offer valid for new ADT Authorized Premier Provider customers only and not on purchases from ADT LLC. Cannot be combined with any other offer. The $27.99 Offer does not include Quality Service Plan (QSP), ADT’s Extended Limited Warranty. ADT Pulse: ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services (“ADT Pulse”), which help you manage your home environment and family lifestyle, require the purchase and/or activation of an ADT alarm system with monitored burglary service and a compatible computer, cell phone or PDA with Internet and email access. These ADT Pulse services do not cover the operation or maintenance of any household equipment/systems that are connected to the ADT Pulse equipment. All ADT Pulse services are not available with the various levels of ADT Pulse. All ADT Pulse services may not be available in all geographic areas. You may be required to pay additional charges to purchase equipment required to utilize the ADT Pulse features you desire. ADT PULSE + VIDEO: ADT Pulse + Video installation is an additional $299. 36-month monitoring contract required from ADT Pulse + Video: $59.99 per month, ($2,159.64), including Quality Service Plan (QSP). Doorbell camera may not be available in all areas. GENERAL: For all offers, the form of payment must be by credit card or electronic charge to your checking or savings account, satisfactory credit history is required and termination fee applies. Certain packages require approved landline phone. Local permit fees may be required. Certain restrictions may apply. Additional monitoring fees required for some services. For example, Burglary, Fire, Carbon Monoxide and Emergency Alert monitoring requires purchase and/or activation of an ADT security system with monitored Burglary, Fire, Carbon Monoxide and Emergency Alert devices and are an additional charge. Additional equipment may be purchased for an additional charge. Additional charges may apply in areas that require guard response service for municipal alarm verification. Prices subject to change. Prices may vary by market. Some insurance companies offer discounts on Homeowner’s Insurance. Please consult your insurance company. Photos are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the exact product/service actually provided. Licenses: AL-21-001104, AR-CMPY.0001725 AZ-ROC217517, CA-ACO6320, CT-ELC.0193944-L5, DC-EMS902653, DC-602516000016, DE-07-212, FL-EC13003427, EC13003401, GA-LVA205395, IA-AS-0206, ID-ELE-SJ-39131, IL-127.001042, IN-C.P.D. Reg. No. – 19-08088, City of Indianapolis: LAC-000156, KY-City of Louisville: 483, LA-F1914, LA-F1915, LA-F1082, MA-1355C, MD-107-1626, ME-LM50017382, MI-3601205773, MN-TS01807, MO-City of St. Louis: CC#354, St. Louis County: 100194, MS-15007958,MTPSP-ELS-LIC-247, NC-25310-SP-FA/LV, NC-1622-CSA, NE-14451, NJ Burglar Alarm Lic. # -NJ-34BF00021800, NM-353366, NV-0068518, City of Las Vegas: 3000008296, NY-Licensed by the N.Y.S. Department of State UID#12000317691, NYS #12000286451,OH-53891446, City of Cincinnati: AC86, OK-AC1048, OR-170997, Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor Registration Number: PA022999, RI-3582, RI-7508, SC-BAC5630, SD- 1025-7001-ET, TN-1520, TX-B13734, ACR-3492, UT-6422596-6501, VA-115120, VT-ES-2382(7C),WA-602588694/ECPROTEYH934RS, WI-City of Milwaukee: PAS-0002966, WV-WV042433, WY-LV-G-21499. 3750 Priority Way South Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46240 ©2017 DEFENDERS, Inc. dba Protect Your Home DF-CD-NP-Q320

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

LO CA L

AUGUST 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 25

Fa l l s C h u r c h

Business News & Notes Chesterbrook Residences Hosting a Shred It Event Chesterbrook Residences is hosting a Shred It event on Saturday, August 29 from 11 am to 2 pm. The event, with professional document shredding provided by PROSHRED, is free and open to the public. Chesterbrook Residences is a nonprofit, non-denominational assisted living community located at 2030 Westmoreland Street in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.chesterbrookres.org.

Homestretch Hosting a Virtual Corporate Lunch Homestretch is hosting a virtual Corporate Lunch on Wednesday, September 2 from noon to 1 pm to share the history and mission of the organization and how the corporate community, and its employees, can support their work to help homeless families attain the skills, knowledge and hope they need to become productive participants in the community. For more information, visit www.homestretchva.org and click on Events.

NOVA Arc Holding Annual Corporate Challenge Virtually The Arc of Northern Virginia is holding its annual Corporate and Community Team Challenge virtually this year. The event brings together companies and community to raise funds to sustain and strengthen its programs, services, and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. This year, the 5K race allows runners and joggers to choose their own route and record their own time between Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 12 at noon. Race packets include a T-shirt and race bib which will be mailed and all participants are invited to attend the live race awards program on Sunday, September 13. For more information, visit www.theArcofNova.org.

Stress Knot Massage Therapy Expands Into Larger Space Stress Knot Massage Therapy, the independently owned massage studio owned and operated by Licensed Massage Therapist Jalene Smyth, has expanded into larger space a few doors from its original location at 200 Little Falls in Falls Church. Stress Knot offers deep tissue, sports, Swedish, and hot stone massage along with lymph drainage and neuromuscular therapy, all designed to support a more relaxed and healthy lifestyle. The new location is Suite G100. For more information or to book an appointment, call 805-448-2790 or email StressKnot.Smyth@gmail.com.

Insight Property Group Converts Falls Green into Multifamily Units Insight Property Group has completed its conversion of Falls Green into a 576-unit multifamily market rate apartment community located at 501 Roosevelt Boulevard. The property was previously known as Oakwood Apartments and was used primarily for short-term government and corporate housing. Insight purchased the 46 year old property in partnership with PCCP from Oakwood Worldwide in 2018. For more information, visit www.FallsGreen.com.

VA Businesses Required to Comply with VOSH Temporary Standards All Virginia businesses are required to comply with the Virginia Occupational Safety & Health Temporary Standards. The guidelines were established to control, prevent and mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace. All businesses are mandated to conduct risk assessments, provide access to soap and hand sanitizer, create a flexible sick leave policy, establish and implement a self-assessment and self-reporting policies, a reporting system, a return to work policy, physical and social distancing guidelines, commit to anti-discrimination practices, and provide training programs or documents. For more information, including industry specific requirements, or to download sample documents, go to https://www.virginiasbdc.org/emergencystandards/. ď ľ Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.

twitter.com/fcnp

facebook.com/fallschurchcity

PAGE 26 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

CA L E NDA R

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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

LOCALEVENTS THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 History Hike: The Skirmish at Ball’s Crossroads. On August 27, 1861, Union and Confederate soldiers clashed near the border of Arlington and Falls Church in a brief but deadly encounter. Participants can come to Bluemont Park for the 159th anniversary of the skirmish as the group hikes in the footsteps of the Union advance. Register

adults and youth by contacting John McNair at jmcnair@arlingtonva.us. Bring water. Bluemont Park (601 N. Manchester St., Arlington). 10 a.m. – noon.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 Silent Witness Against Racial Injustice. Members of the Falls Church faith communities and neighborhoods will join together in silent witness to commemorate the 57th Anniversary of The March on Washington. Rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to bring a sign as well as water. Attendees should also wear a mask and maintain a social distance of 6 – 10 feet Parking available at Falls Church Presbyterian. For more information, contact nancybp@mac.com. The event takes place along Broad St. by the F.C. Presbyterian. 5 – 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 Falls Church Farmers Market To

Go. The Falls Church Farmers Market has converted to a preorder, to-go event. All orders must be placed in advance of Saturday’s market which will be open from 8 a.m. – noon for pre-order pick-up only in front of City Hall (300 Park Ave.). A list of participating vendors and information on pre-ordering can be found at fallschurchva.gov/547/ Farmers-Market-To-Go. Summer Farewell Campfire. For families The group will learn, tell stories and do other fun things. Attendees should bring their own s’mores supplies. Register adults and youth by contacting Bobbi Farley bfarley@arlingtonva.us. 7 – 8 p.m. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington).

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31 Northern Virginia Bird Club Walk. Interested attendees can join members of the Northern

Virginia Bird Club for one or all of these informal walks through Long Branch and Glencarlyn Park in search of resident and migratory birds. Experienced and beginning birders welcomed. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars and field guides if they have them. Register by contacting longbranch@arlingtonva.us. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Falls Church). 8:30 – 11 a.m. 703-228-6535.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 Falls Church Amateur Writers Group. A group for aspiring writers. Participants can share their ideas with the group and offer constructive criticism on each other’s work virtually. Contact psullivan@fallschurchva.gov to get the invitation to the group. 7 p.m.

LIVEMUSIC

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 Red Shoes Band with Little Bamboo Food Truck. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186. Nora Palka — mask and social distancing required. Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). 8 p.m. creative cauldron.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 Luna with Dee’s Snack Shack Cajun & Caribbean. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186. Yasmin Williams — mask and social distancing required. Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church) 8 p.m.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30 Open Mic with Frank O. — all are welcome to participate. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186.

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE NEWS-PRESS & HELP US KEEP COMMUNITY JOURNALISM ALIVE & WELL IN THE LITTLE CITY. Since 1991, the News-Press has been on a mission to provide independent and honest journalism to the Falls Church community. We recognize and appreciate the support the City, its businesses and residents have shown us for the past 29 years. Now, we need your help to con�nue with our mission. If you ﬁnd value in our work and believe the News-Press contributes to the be�erment of the Falls Church community, please consider becoming a member today and help us keep you informed on all the happenings — big and small — in The Li�le City. Never before has the ﬁght to ensure a free press been more important.

Visit FCNP.com/members to become a member of the News-Press today

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Prepare for power outages with a Generac home standby generator SCHEDULE YOUR FREE IN-HOME ASSESSMENT TODAY!

571-489-5968

FREE

7-Year Extended Warranty* A $695 Value! Offer valid March 16, 2020 - Sept 6, 2020

Special Financing Available Subject to Credit Approval

*Terms & Conditions Apply

AUGUST 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 27

PAGE 28 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CLASSI F I E DS

AUCTIONS ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

HOME IMPROVEMENT Vinyl Replacement Double Hung Window $249* Installed w/Free Trim Wrap. Call 804-739-8207. Siding, Roofing and More!

Thinking about installing a new shower? American Standard makes it easy. FREE design consultation. Enjoy your shower again! Call 1-866-854-7620 today to see how you can save $1,000 on installation, or visit www.newshowerdeal. com/vapress

ATTN. CONTRACTORS: Advertise

your business statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions to reach Homeowners. Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

REAL ESTATE SMITH MOUNTAIN WATERFRONT -

Two nice wooded lots on upper SML (Blackwater River) only $56,000 - I’ll finance - low down payment. (540) 480-9184

Cleaning Services

http://www.fallschurchva.gov/PC. 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).

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on August 10, 2020. Public hearing, second reading, and final Council action is scheduled for Monday, September 14, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. (TO20-20) ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCES 2009 AND 2012 REGARDING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 FOR THE GENERAL FUND, SCHOOL OPERATING FUND, AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM FUNDS A public hearing and final Council action on the following resolution is scheduled for Monday, September 14, 2020 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard. (TR19-45) RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE WEST END SMALL AREA PLAN AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT IN DECISION MAKING FOR PLANNING, ZONING,

AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, CITY REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES Council members will attend the meeting through electronic means and members of the public may view the meeting at www. fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings and on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). Public hearings will be held electronically at www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. Public hearing comments will be accepted only during the meeting and only electronically at cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. Public Hearing process: During the meeting, the public will be asked to e-mail comments when the public hearing item is introduced and an announcement be made when the time for comment on the item has ended. E-mails received during the announced public hearing time will be presented to City Council before final discussion. Public comments for City Council on any matter may be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov at any time. Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711).

INSTALLS ON NEW & EXISTING GUTTERS

listings regionally or statewide. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions that get results! Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

SERVICES DIVORCE-Uncontested , $395+$86

court cost. WILLS $195.00. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-0126. Se Habla Espanol. BBB Member. https://hiltonoliverattorneyva.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PLANNING COMMISSION On Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 7:30 PM, the City of Falls Church Planning Commission will hold a virtual public meeting. All members of the public may view this electronic meeting via www.fallschurchva. gov/PC. The meeting may also be viewed on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, and Verizon 35). Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. The Planning Commission will consider the following items and recommendations to City Council: (TR19-45) RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE WEST END SMALL AREA PLAN AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT IN DECISION MAKING FOR PLANNING, ZONING, AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, CITY REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES Public hearings will be held electronically at http://www.fallschurchva.gov/PC. Unless the Governor’s state of emergency is lifted, public comments will be accepted only electronically at plan@fallschurchva.gov, until the end of the public hearing. The materials for the above item will be available on the city’s webpage prior to the public hearing:

House Cleaning Service Available 7 days a week Weekly - By Weekly - Monthly or by Time Move Out - Move In • 14 years Experience Good References • Senior Discount For Further Information: Call Susy • Cell (703) 901-0596

A CLEANING SERVICE 703-892-8648

Home Improvement

Licensed, Bonded and Insured since 1985 www.acleaningserviceinc.com

Over 30 years of providing cleaning services to NOVA, DC and MD Best Cleaning Company Award winner 2011-2017 If you like our service, please leave a review on Google or Yelp. If you have concerns about our service, please give me the opportunity to address it.

Attorney

Robert Beatson II Attorney/Accountant, Former IRS Attorney All Federal, State, Local & Foreign Taxes Admitted to DC, MD, VA & NY Bars 703-798-3590 or 301-340-2951

www.beatsonlaw.com

RBeatsonatty@netscape.net

Visit us at fcnp.com

Handyman Service All repairs, plumbing, drywall, windows, doors, rotted wood, siding, lighting + FREE estimates, Licensed & Insured

Call Doug (703)556-4276 www.fallschurchhandyman.com

KIDS LOVE SCALLIWAG By Eileen Levy

CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK

ATTN. REALTORS: Advertise your

Other Services

I have it all right! I really tried With all my might!

ter AFTER LeafFil

ter BEFORE LeafFil

LIFETIME WARRANTY

OFF

AND!

10 %

OFF

YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE*

SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS

OFF

TO THE FIRST 50 CALLERS!**

Promo Number: 285 CALL US TODAY FOR

A FREE ESTIMATE

1-877-614-6667

Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST *For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. ** Oﬀer valid at estimate only. CSLB# 1035795 DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 7656 License# 50145 License# 41354 License# 99338 License# 128344 License# 218294 License# 603 233 977 License# 2102212986 License# 2106212946 License# 2705132153A License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 License# WC-29998-H17 Nassau HIC License# H01067000 Registration# 176447 Registration# HIC.0649905 Registration# C127229 Registration# C127230 Registration# 366920918 Registration# PC6475 Registration# IR731804 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# PA069383 Suﬀolk HIC License# 52229-H

FREE!

Savings Include an American Standard Right Height Toilet FREE! ($500 Value)

Walk-In Tubs

WALK-IN BATHTUB SALE! SAVE $1,500 ✔ Backed by American Standard’s 140 years of experience ✔ Ultra low entry for easy entering & exiting ✔ Patented Quick Drain® Technology ✔ Lifetime Warranty on the bath AND installation, INCLUDING labor backed by American Standard ✔ 44 Hydrotherapy jets for an invigorating massage Limited Time Offer! Call Today!

877-691-5591

Or visit: www.walkintubinfo.com/vapa

Timeshare Cancellation Get your free information kit and see if you qualify:

888-670-0602

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

43 46

35 37

23 25

48 52

51 56

50 53

59 63

1. Audibly appalled 6. Horizontal lines on graphs 11. Part of a sci-fi film’s budget 14. Black Sea getaway 15. Japanese dog breed 16. Pioneer in email and 61-Across 17. New York’s Memorial ____-Kettering hospital 18. Singer Simone and actress Dobrev, for two 19. Cattle call? 20. It helps you get the big picture 23. Promised ____ 24. Native American tribe with a namesake lake 25. ____ duck 28. Type of geometry 33. Pickle juice 35. River to the Seine 36. Baseball’s Dan Quisenberry and Kent Tekulve, famously 43. Someone may run for it 44. Little buddy 45. 2014 Ice Cube/Kevin Hart comedy 50. Blast of wind 51. Greek known for paradoxes 52. Solemn pledge 54. They may occur to you later ... or where this puzzle’s circled letters are all located 60. “Breaking Bad” org. 61. Cyberchatting

STRANGE BREW

AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 29

62. ____ and aahed 65. Vex 66. Father-daughter activity 67. ____ whale 68. Suffix with Brooklyn 69. Initial stage 70. Neighbor of Hertfordshire

Down 1. Things blockers block 2. ____ pal 3. “Don’t have ____, man!” 4. “Divergent” star Woodley 5. Black-and-white animal in the World Wildlife Fund logo 6. 1980 film with the #1 hit “Magic” 7. Related (to) 8. Ped ____ (street sign) 9. List-ending abbr. 10. Postpaid encl. 11. Smartphone feature 12. “Don’t wait out here” 13. Conceder’s comment 21. Opposite of WSW 22. “BlacKkKlansman” director 25. Dumbbell abbr. 26. The NFL’s Cardinals, on scoreboards 27. Prefix with air or afternoon 29. Acknowledge as true 30. Number of weeks per annum? 31. Suffix with violin or novel 32. You can deal with it 34. Lighten, as a burden 37. “The Crying Game” actor Stephen

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

38. Opposite of “bon” 39. Certain sneakers 40. College URL suffix 41. Hwys. 42. Drunkard 45. Alludes (to) 46. Dietician’s concern 47. A deer, a female deer 48. “If thou must love me, let it be for ____ / Except for love’s sake only”: Elizabeth Barrett Browning 49. Funny thing 51. “White Teeth” author Smith 53. “All ____ in favor ... “ 55. Puerto ____ 56. Eliot Ness, notably 57. Online search metric 58. In years past 59. Hens and heifers 63. ‘Fore 64. “Party Up (Up in Here)” rapper Last Thursday’s Solution T H O R A

W I R E S

O G D E N

T R O P E

V A L O R

C B E R S

T H E C O U R A G E

C S T R A S E A L N E W L

E R M T E A R I N E E T A S H V W E E W C T P A T A M O L E U S E R N N A T U M I F E E F T

S P I C

O R S H U M T L U L P E S C C H A I S T T A

N O S E N S E S H E E R A N

A M A S S

R A U L P I A

T A S O T E R A E T O S O M E T H I N G

O L D B O Y

P A S S A S

E P E E

H E R R

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

8/23/20

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

LO CA L

PAGE 30 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

BACK IN THE DAY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C�� C��

25 � 10 Y�� A�� N��-P�� Falls Church News-Press Vol. V, No. 23 • August 24, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 26 • August 26, 2010

Diplomat Killed in Bosnia Was a Good Neighbor in Falls Church

In Annual ‘State of City’ Interview, F.C. Mayor Predicts ‘Bumpy Ride’

Robert C Frasure, a man who gave his life in the pursuit of peace, was remembered this week by his co-workers and fellow Falls Church residents as a loving husband and father, a devoted diplomat, a man of intense dedication to mankind and a man of brilliant wit and charm. Frasure, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs, died August 19 when his armored vehicle slid off a road in the mountains.

In an exclusive interview with the NewsPress, City of Falls Church’s new mayor, Nader Baroukh, said he’s cautiously optimistic about the coming year, but that it’s going to be a bumpy road ahead. He recently sat down with this writer for what’s become the paper’s long-standing annual “State of the City” interview with F.C.’s mayor, where Baroukh discussed his top priorities just two months into his mayoral duties.

F.C. Schools Continued from Page 5

At Henderson, all teachers taught from their classrooms and found their students “full of energy,” Noonan reported. At Mason High, Noonan said he encountered an “impressive dialog” in the virtual classroom he looked in on. He stressed the three cornerstones of the year’s instruction challenges, to become “the premiere K-12 IB division in the world,” to realize a caring culture, and to close gaps among the students. The School Board received two letters, including one from the Athletic Boosters group, from parents urging the early introduction of fall sports practices. It also discussed “charges” for its array of citizen advisory committees, with concerns expressed in the discussion of the Health and Wellness Committee about the heightened stress on students in the online virtual environment. School Board member Phil Reitinger spoke of the concern for “cyber bullying” that can occur outside the purview of the staff, Board

member Shawna Russell expressed concern for physical activity issues and Board member Susan Dimock said that there is a special challenge for effective communication throughout the system under the current circumstances. “Charges” to advisory bodies also encompassed the Business in Education (BIE) Partnership

with new opportunities for minority owned businesses to participate. Also, efforts to include more family engagement from the ESOL group, monitor success with a “lens to equity” in the gifted student group, support for family models in the special education group, and look at equity policies and procedures for the daycare group were all covered.

PERRY, an Australian labradoodle, just turned one year old. Perry loves to run around in the back yard, play in the sprinkler, and then take a nice long nap. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

Status Update on Wednesday, August 26 City of Falls Church Date Cases Hospitalizations Wednesday, August 26 66 11 Monday, August 24 64 10 Wednesday, August 19 63 9 Monday, August 17 63 9 Wednesday, August 12 61 9 Monday, August 10 61 9 Wednesday, August 5 59 9* Monday, August 3 59 10

Deaths 7 7 6 6 6 6 5* 6

# Cases per 100,000 People 446.8 433.3 426.5 426.5 412.9 412.9 399.4 399.4

*NOTE: These numbers went down as the Virginia Department of Health found that the individuals lived in the Fairfax County part of Falls Church, not the City of Falls Church.

Make Your Pet a Star! Critter

Corner

Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Snap a pic of your critter and email it to: CRITTERCORNER@FCNP.COM OR mail it to Critter Corner c/o Falls Church News-Press 200 Little Falls Street #508 Falls Church, Va 22046

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

AUGUST 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 | PAGE 31

HEREIN IS THE REVOLUTION: Overthrow the False Dichotomy of Apollonian/Dionysian! WE ARE PROMETHEAN!

Nicholas Benton's Works More Important Than Ever Now!

The late Larry Kramer said about 'Extraordinary Hearts:' "A vital moral book about who we are and who we should be. I admire it and its author enormously."

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 32 | AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

N OW L O CAT E D @ 1 1 1 9 W. B ROA D ST. 2 0 1 9 V O LV O

XC90

$489

PER MONTH

MONTH LEASE $2,399 DOWN 36 10,000 MILES/YEAR*

T6 MOMENTUM

Stock # 488RF MSRP $62,230 $2399 due at signing plus taxes, tag, title, acquisition, dealer processing fee of $799.No security deposit. Price includes all available incentives, including loyalty. Offer Expires 9/2/20.

C o m e s e e o u r s t a t e - of - t h e - a r t n e w S h o w ro o m & S e r v i ce C e n t e r

Open Sunday 1-3 in Falls Church

ROCK STAR Realty ... ROCK STAR Service

Virtual Tours

ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com/Open-Houses Open Sun 2-4

NEW PRICE!

$1,449,900 710 Timber Ln, Falls Church City

Brick rambler on lovely tree-lined street located in the desirable Fenwick Park neighborhood of Falls Church. Living room has hardwood floors and a large front window for lots of natural light, separate dining room also with hardwood floors and updated kitchen with dishwasher installed in 2020. The family room addition has a gas corner fireplace with sliding glass door leading to a 2 tired 800 square foot deck with retractable awning and private back yard. A total of 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths (includes master bedroom and bath) office and den. There are pulldown stairs for easy access to the attic and ample extra storage space. Location has easy access to 495, I-66, Rt. 50, and The Dunn Loring Metro is just a couple of miles away with a bus stop just up the block. Walkable to the adjacent Shops at West Falls Church center for groceries, restaurants, and other conveniences. Priced at $574,999. Call Karin to see 703-626-3257

$869,900 2617 West St, Falls Church

5 Bed

He/She Shed

5 Bed

2,916 SqFt

3.5 Baths

Sport Court in back

3.5 Baths

Minutes to METRO

FOR SALE!

$1,499,900 7307 Allan Ave, Falls Church 5 Bed 6.5 Baths REALTOR®

FOR SALE!

Open Sun 2-4

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

2101 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201

3-Car Garage Custom & Designer finishes throughout

COMING SOON!

2515 Buckelew Dr, Falls Church 6 Beds

Custom New Build

5.5 Bathrooms

2-Car Garage

CALL 703-867-TORI

Falls Church News-Press 8-27-2020

Articles inside

Business News

Calendar