U.S. President, Congress & F.C. Council Race on Ballot
by Nicholas F.
This Fall’s enormously consequential election may still seem a ways off, but in reality it is right on top of us. That’s right, in fact early voting will begin tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 20. Not only will the big one, the presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, be on ballots that registered voters in Falls Church will be able to cast at City Hall starting tomorrow, but so will be an important local race to fill a vacancy on the Falls Church City Council.
In that local race, two candidates are on the ballot vying for the support of voters here – former School Board chair Laura Downs and former Board of Zoning Appeals chair John Murphy.
Also on the ballot is a single candidate seeking election to the Falls Church School Board, Anne Sherwood.
The Falls Church League of Women Voters and the Village Preservation and Improvement Society will co-host a Council Candidate Forum for the candidates
THIS FABULOUS FALL FESTIVAL
A Whopping 19 New Restaurants Opening
A veritable explosion of 19 new eateries squeezing into the 2.2 square miles of the City of Falls Church is continuing, the City’s Economic Development Authority was told at its monthly City Hall meeting Tuesday night. All slated to be opening soon, and there are still more are on the way.
Most are related in one form or another with the construction and competition of the array of large scale mixed use projects that have come or are coming
online here, and it’s hard to divine which deserve greater attention than any others.
Already the Little City, benefitting from the keen new interest in its prime location in the DMV along with its outstanding school system and overall quality of its local government, has seen for the first time in its history the emergence of three highly-touted restaurants, regularly included on lists of the wider region’s very finest –Thompson’s Italian, Ellie Bird and Nue – that discriminating diners will come from far and
wide to enjoy.
So now more are coming, adding to the “critical mass” here, in conjunction with a lively arts scene (the State Theater, Creative Cauldron soon to be moving to fresh new digs, and the motion picture complex coming, hopefully by next April, into Founders Row).
Once known only for its Volvo police cars, Falls Church is becoming famously known as a worthy destination for people and their dollars.
City Hall’s Becky Witsman summarized the approaching
new wave to the EDA board Tuesday to include, in no particular order, coming into the Hoffman Group’s dense West Falls 10 acres, Ice Cream Jubilee, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Burger Fi, Seoul Spice and Honoo Ramen and Bar.
Into Founders Row 1, in addition to what’s already opened up there, the eagerly-awaited Seoul Prime steakhouse will open next month, the first major steakhouse establishment here that
Benton Falls Church News-Press
Nicholas F. Benton
NEWS BRIEFS
Va. Dept. of Education Guidance: Ban Cell Phones
Virginia K-12 students in public schools will be banned from using cellphones or other personal communication devices such as smartwatches from “bell-to-bell” during school. The devices must be turned off and stored in backpacks, lockers, pouches or another location off the student. The Virginia Department of Education released its final guidance on Tuesday, after a 30-day public comment period. School divisions have until the end of the year to update their policies.
The most stringent guidelines apply to elementary schools, where students will be barred from using their phones inside the building or on school property, including before and after school. Whether middle school students can use their devices before or after school is left up to local divisions. At the high school level, students can use their phones before or after school hours.
According to John Brett of the Falls Church City Schools, the School Board here has yet to consider or weigh in with a response to the order.
Big Winners in Last Weekend’s Taste of F.C.
The enormous turnout last Saturday for the Fall Festival and Taste of Falls Church in beautiful weather produced the following winners, according to judges that were assigned to taste everything the participating local restaurants had to offer: The Best Taste honors went to The Falls; the Best Menu to Cafe Kindred and the People’s Choice to Harvey’s.
Organizers said the attendance was the highest ever in the history of the annual event.
Arlington Home Prices Continue to Boom
Sales prices of single-family homes in Arlington continued moving higher in July, with the average sales price up nearly 13 percent from a year before. The average sales price of the 57 single-family properties that went to closing for the month stood at $1,575,170, according to figures reported Sept. 11 by Bright MLS, based on data reported by MarketStats by ShowingTime.
That compared to an average of $1,396,233 for the 72 single-family homes that sold in 2023.
Meanwhile, in Fairfax County, yearover-year home sales across the county were soft in August, according to new data,
but prices kept moving higher. A total of 1,024 properties went to closing during the month, down 6.9 percent from 1,100 in August 2023, according to figures reported Sept. 11 by Bright MLS, based on data reported by MarketStats by ShowingTime.
While sales were down, prices rose in two of the three segments of the market. The average single-family home traded hands for $1,149,815, up 2.5 percent. For the month, a total of 188 properties changed hands, counting detached, attached and condominium homes. That was down slightly from 192 sales a year before.
The average sales price of all properties was $889,462, down 0.6 percent largely due to the 21-percent drop in total sales in the pricier single-family segment. The average sales price for attached homes (townhouses, row houses and condominiums) was down slightly to $562,398, while the average sales price in the condo-only segment was up 3.5 percent to $522,013.
A total of 54 properties went to closing for more than $1 million, including nine for more than $2.5 million and one for more than $5 million. Total sales volume for the month was $162.9 million, down from $166.7 million a year before.
Local Dentist Honored For ‘Lifetime Achievement’
The Northern Virginia Dental Society held its Annual Member Dinner on September 5 at the Fairview Marriott with the installation of officers. The association recognized Falls Church’s Dr. William Dougherty with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award.
New Poplar Heights Water Tank Gets OK in Fairfax
Fairfax Water will build a bigger water tank in Poplar Heights in the Idylwood area adjacent to the City of Falls Church, but the new facility may be less visible than local residents have feared. After being challenged at a lengthy public hearing in July, the water authority revised its lighting, landscaping and construction plans enough to win the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s support for the project last week.
Providence District Commissioner Jeremy Hancock concluded that “a lot of work” had been done to address community concerns without compromising the effectiveness of a storage tank upgrade that Fairfax Water says is urgently needed.
seeking to fill the open Council seat for the unexpired term through December 31, 2025. It will take place next Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. in the Falls Church Community Center’s Senior Center at 223 Little Falls St.
A second event featuring the two candidates appearing together will constitute the monthly luncheon of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Italian Cafe.
In addition, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy will be co-sponsoring a candidate forum this Friday, Sept. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. Spanish-language interpretation will be provided for attendees who need it. All the candidates for the U.S. Congress in the 8th and 11th Districts have been invited to participate.
The 8th District (that includes Falls Church) U.S. Congressional candidates on the ballot here are incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., and challengers Republican Jerry Torres and independents David Kennedy and Bentley Hensel.
Candidates for the U.S. Senate are also on the ballot, with incumbent Democrat Tim Kaine running against GOP challenger Hung Cao.
The full list of U.S. presidential and vice presidential candidates on the ballot includes the following: Democratic Party electors for Kamala Harris, president, and Tim Walz, vice
president; Republican Party electors for Donald Trump, president, and J.D. Vance, vice president; Green Party electors for Jill Stein, president, and Rudolph Ware III, vice president; Libertarian Party electors for Chase Oliver, president, and Mike der Maat, vice president; Independent electors for Claudia De la Cruz, president, and Karina Garcia, vice president; and, Independent electors for Cornel West, president, and Melina Abdullah, vice president.
Finally, there is a proposed constitutional amendment up for a vote on the ballot that would extend tax exemptions currently available to surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action to also be available to surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty.
Everyone who votes in Falls Church will, upon completion of their voting, receive an “I Voted” sticker designed by local student Rion Miller, whose design won out in a competition over the summer.
In the two-way race to fill the vacancy on the Falls Church City Council, the two candidates have already been blanketing the City’s 2.2 square miles with abundant yard signs, with local observers unofficially giving Downs an edge over Murphy in the overall number of sign sightings so far.
In his statement announcing his candidacy, Murphy stated, “While the timeline is compressed to qualify for the November 5th ballot, I’ve hit the ground running. I know campaigning for City Council will be a challenge, but it is well worth it. I was born on Marshall Street,
spent my childhood at Mary Riley Styles Library where my mom worked for 43 years, and my wife and I watched our two sons thrive in Falls Church City Schools. I know Falls Church City. I love it here, and I choose to stay here to continue to give back to our community.
“We live in an amazing place. With sustainable development, open responsive governance, and citizen input, we can continue to grow Falls Church, together. We can make it even better going forward.”
Downs, in announcing her candidacy last
month, said, “My four years on the School Board (including one year as Vice Chair and two years as Chair) provided me with valuable public service experience including working on the city and school budgets with the City Council and General Government. My husband and I have lived in FCC for 15 years and have loved raising our four boys here and watching our community grow into a vibrant, welcoming “little city,” even being recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the number one healthiest community in the nation.”
19 New Restaurants on Deck To Open Coming Soon in F.C.
Continued from Page 1
will be joined by a second, GrillMarx, coming into the former Target building on S. Maple later on.
But also at Founders Row 1 and arriving soon are Fish Taco and Semicolon Cafe. The lease has been signed for Fish Taco in what will be the family-owned outfit’s fifth regional location featuring “traditional Baja-inspired flavors and cuisine.”
Inspections are continuing at the Seoul Prime and a building permit has been issued for Semicolon Cafe.
At Founder’s Row 2, which is still under construction catty-corner from Founder’s Row 1 at the W. Broad and West Street intersection, there is considerable excitement as the elegant Tatte Bakery and Cafe has signed on, offering a seasonal menu with Israeli, Mediterranean and European comfort food influences defining all its 35 D.C. area and Massachusetts locations. It will feature all-day and brunch menus.
Up and down W. Broad are coming the Union Bistro adjacent the Founders Row 1, Cafe Zevian in the Kensington building, Midori Tea Bar adjacent Panera Bread, the Stratford Garden across from the HarrisTeeter (when the old motel finally gets demolished), the Little Falls Creperie
next to Zoya’s, the Dolan Uyghur restaurant where Pizzeria Orso was previously, GrillMarx steakhouse, the Casa Mariachi Bar and Grill where the Caribbean Plate was previously, Paris Baguette at the opposite end of the Aldi shopping center, and in the Eden Center at Seven Corners up the street, a new food hall currently under construction.
Meanwhile at the Insight Group’s Broad and Washington complex, the Whole Foods site will be completed later this year, inspections are continuing for the Creative Cauldron’s new location, and a remaining 5,600 square feet of retail space is very near two commitments. Meanwhile, the residential units there are beginning to be occupied.
In other EDA news, the board voted not to continue for a third year the holiday season’s Little City Gift Passes program, which had been funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money designated for that purpose in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On the other hand, it will help with $20,000 for another Restaurant Week event in January due to the success of the first one last January, including by retaining the services of Trish Barba’s Proxima Communications services.
Hockenberry’s Birthday
FORMER FALLS CHURCH Vice Mayor and veteran teacher of over 30 years in the Falls Church City schools, Lindy Hockenberry lit up the dance floor at the Fall Festival last Saturday at a surprise birthday party in her honor. (Photo: Brian Reach)
Falls Church Gathers to Celebrate Legendary Radio Producer
by Patricia Leslie
More than 100 friends and fans of legendary radio producer and longtime Falls Church resident Mary Cliff gathered to celebrate her radio life in joyous style at a sold-out event Sunday afternoon at Ireland’s Four Provinces.
Songwriters and musicians sang and praised Cliff and her half century plus in the business at the event sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. Cliff was its president for several terms.
The commemoration was a homegrown version of “This is Your Radio Life, Mary Cliff!” moderated by Peter Maier who said the tribute was “a little like the Ken Cen honors” which took planning for several years.
Cliff’s gentle voice is instantly recognizable to most in the region since she was on air for decades and hosted her own show, “Traditions,” Washington’s longest running folk music program.
She began her radio career in 1966 as a typist when she earned $25 a week working at the Cellar Door nightclub in Georgetown
which lead to her work programming and “doing everything they needed to have done,” she said in an earlier interview.
“I learned by standing behind people and watching what they did. I engineered, I scripted, I interviewed politicians, criminals, everybody under the sun. I was learning as I went and I really liked it.
“All my life I’ve been a music and radio nut who got to know quite a few musicians.”
Her radio home for almost four decades was WETA-FM before it switched to an all-classical format and she went over to WAMUFM until a new station manager “decided he wanted less music, less bluegrass and fewer people they had to pay.”
She then moved to WERA-LP, an Arlington independent station, for eight years until it went off air last January. Over the years Cliff helped notable names like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Emmylou Harris, Nancy Griffith, Garnet Rogers and Mary Black get up and running in the music world.
On Sunday when she entered Ireland’s overflowing dining
room, Cliff was greeted by a standing ovation.
Camille Hall of Falls Church, a musician and singer, was in the crowd who came because “I love Mary Cliff and am so thankful for all she did for folk music and the folk community.”
Ed Miller, a Scottish singer, said Cliff “has always been really good about having live performances on her show as well as playing CDs. She’s a key person as far as Scottish and Irish music is concerned in this area for which I am very grateful.”
Before festivities began, Andrew Acosta sat in a booth, strumming his guitar and singing softly, “Everybody’s Talkin.’” A “born and bred” Falls Churchian, Acosta said he “has known Mary a long time; listened to her on the radio and am just glad to be part of the tribute to her. She did a lot for folk music.”
Lisa Brown Bushman, a fiddler who teaches music, came from Alexandria to applaud Cliff. “I listened to Mary Cliff’s program for decades. As long as she’s been on the radio, I’ve been listening.”
The performers on Sunday
Proven Leadership
were some Cliff has known for years whom she personally selected to play at her event. Acosta played the guitar and Randy Barrett, the banjo.
Jennifer Cutting introduced Lisa Moscatiello who played guitar and sang “Now Be Thankful,” Moscatiello, who said she grew up “down the road, listening to Mary.”
Guitarist Cathy Fink led the crowd in her sing-along of “Childless Cat Lady” to laughter and a chorus of “cats can’t vote, but we sure can, they leave us to do it in house, we’ll take our cats to the voting booth and we’ll vote with a mighty meow,” the last meow’s refrain the enthusiastic crowd sang loudly for several seconds.
Moderator Maier who called himself “just a listener,” said in an earlier interview that “I thought it better to do something for Mary while she’s still alive.” (She is 81.) He thanked the musicians who performed for free and read letters of tribute from those who could not attend, including John McCutcheon, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin from Maryland, Virginia
• Falls Church City Public Schools School Board member 2020-2023 (Vice Chair in 2021, Chair in 2022 and 2023)
• FCC Elementary PTA President 2017-2018
• Current President-Elect of Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School PTA
• Current Board member of the Falls Church Education Foundation
• Through her work on the School Board, was a voting member on the Recreation and Parks Committee and a member of the City Council Budget and Finance Committee.
Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Andy Wallace.
Cliff is looking for a new venue while simultaneously laughing about retiring which does not seem to be happening anytime soon. She’s hoping WERA comes back on air soon for where’s there’s folk, there’s Cliff.
MARY CLIFF PICTURED attending the event held at Falls Church Restaurant Ireland’s Four Provinces. (Photo: Patricia Leslie)
19 - 25, 2024
Since 1991, an award-winning LGBT-owned general Interest community newspaper.
Vol. XXXIV, No. 32 September 19 - 25, 2024
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FCNP Endorses Laura Downs
The rush for early voting in elections in recent years has prompted us to make our endorsements known before any voting begins, which means this week.
We wholeheartedly endorse the ticket of Harris and Walz for President and Vice President of the U.S., as well as our esteemed veteran Democratic representatives to the U.S. Senate (Tim Kaine) and U.S. House of Representatives (Don Beyer). Even if these candidates are strong favorites to win in this neighborhood, it is vital that Falls Church citizens keep alive their tradition of achieving the highest voter turnout percentage in the state in order to “pile on,” as Beyer has put it, to help these candidates and their allies win statewide.
Our particular focus is on the special Falls Church City Council election where two citizens are vying to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Caroline Lian this summer. With one more year on that term, former School Board chair Laura Downs and former Board of Zoning Appeals chair John Murphy have thrown their hats in the ring to fill it.
In this case, we wholeheartedly endorse Laura Downs.
We have witnessed Ms. Downs’ highly proficient role as the chair of the Falls Church City School Board and believe she will bring talent, persistence and commitment to all aspects of her work to the City Council. In particular, she brings an avid commitment to open and reasoned ongoing communication with the entire community that will enhance her work, and that of the entire Council.
She will, we are confident, be a major contributor to the amazing progress being made in Falls Church in terms of quality of life for citizens, including for the public education of our school-aged youth but not limited to that. While continuing rising real estate values are creating pressures to advance affordable housing options that our City Council and other agencies, such as the Department of Human Services and the Economic Development Authority, are striving to address, the recent years’ remarkable gains for the City have created very substantial reductions in the real estate tax rate for us all, progress we hope will continue.
New programs, such as for the “greening of Lincoln Avenue” as discussed by the City Council at its work session this week, including for new housing options, as well, are translating this success into a kinder, more compassionate and inclusive community for all. These developments are as important for instilling constructive values in our youth as what they are also deriving as lasting benefits from in the extraordinary classroom educational opportunities they have here.
No better example exists than of the remarkable last weekend in our “Little City,” when extraordinarily copacetic Fall Festival and Taste of Falls Church events were held on the City Hall grounds Saturday, and the Falls Church Education Foundation’s annual Run for the Schools was held on Sunday. We want these happy sorts of things to continue.
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Compassion Shouldn’t End at the City Line
Editor,
The City of Falls Church has been a leader in pedestrian safety and its recent programs have achieved speed limit reductions, cameras to aid school bus safety and securing funding for synchronization of traffic signals.
Unfortunately, it seems the compassion that city residents feel for pedestrians ends as soon as they pass one of the many “Little City” signs. On West Street for example, vehicles pick up speed as they pass Laura Drive and don’t slow until they hit the stoplight at the intersection of Lee Highway. Privately owned vehicles, delivery vans and tractor-trailers frequently travel above the speed limit along this stretch. The number of semi trucks and construction
Correction Letters to Editor
vehicles has increased despite zero business addresses between Broad Street and Lee Highway.
There are two crosswalks located in this area; one of which is the main crosswalk for Timber Lane Elementary School. The southbound view of the crosswalk is obscured by a hill and a subsequent dip in the road until cars are within 200 feet of the crossing. While traveling northbound it is obscured by a curve in the road. Even at 25 mph this makes exercising, walking pets and traveling to and from school a significant danger for pedestrians.
With National Walk to School Day around the corner, I implore drivers to expand their compassion to the most vulnerable stakeholders of these crossings: children.
Even if they don’t live within Falls Church City limits.
Sarah Hedges
2024 was Yasmeen Richards, her name was inadvertently left off her photo.
The Best of FC Therapist
Building Community: Welcoming Week Back In Falls Church
by Belen Quellet
“Welcoming Week,” observed this year from September 13-22, has again called attention to the cause of hospitality to immigrants and refugees as Welcoming Falls Church pursues its mission to “build a community of neighbors.”
The City Council kicked off the celebration on September 9 with a proclamation – for the seventh year in a row – that Falls Church would recognize Welcoming Week in Falls Church. The City’s enthusiastic support for the cause of welcoming comes as no surprise. The City’s Falls Church 2040 strategic vision underscores a long-term commitment to this value, stating in its first sentence, “Falls Church in 2040 will be a welcoming and inclusive community.” City Council resolutions have reaffirmed this vision by endorsing Welcoming Week each year since 2018.
Being a welcoming city is also becoming more visible with the announcement of signage installation — with the word “welcome” in 18 languages — outside City Hall. In a ceremony on the main stage of Saturday’s Fall Festival, Mayor Letty
Hardi and City Community Relations and Legislative Affairs Director Cindy Mester unveiled the design for the signage, the culmination of yearlong deliberations of a group involving City staff, Welcoming Falls Church representatives, and artistic input from Meridian High School’s artist-in-residence Marc Robarge and art Teacher Christina Leigh.
Among Welcoming Week’s other highlights were an author visit and workshop featuring Sindya Bhanoo, a professor at Oregon State University and former reporter for The Washington Post and The New York Times. Bhanoo’s book, “Seeking Fortune Elsewhere,” is an award-winning collection of short stories exploring the South Asian immigrant experience.
Bhanoo’s visit to Falls Church cut across the community, starting with a visit to Meridian High School last Friday. Every student in the school had read one of her short stories in their stable group. She continued with two public talks on Saturday at the high school and the Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Bhanoo’s visit was a true community effort, made possible through active partnership with the American Association of
University Women’s Falls Church Chapter and the Library, and with support from the City’s Arts and Humanities Commission, the Falls Church City Schools, and the Falls Church Education Foundation.
Founded in 2018, Welcoming Falls Church is a grassroots, nonpartisan organization. Inspired by an Atlanta-based non-profit organization Welcoming America, but operating independently the organization has made significant strides in fostering a nurturing environment where newcomers can integrate and thrive. Its Adult & Family Literacy Center teaches English to 65 adults and 20 children at Oak Street Elementary on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Its Welcoming Refugees initiative has resettled five refugee families in the City. Welcoming Falls Church was also recently honored by the founding of a club dedicated to its support at Meridian High School, and it has over 100 active volunteers.
The community’s response to Welcoming Falls Church’s Welcoming Refugees initiative has been multi-faceted. The City’s $50,000 grant towards rent assistance to newly-arrived refugee families has inspired over $46,000 in private con-
tributions and more than $20,000 in in-kind donations. Notably, Temple Rodef Shalom recently contributed an additional $5,000 to this impressive total. In addition to financial support, volunteers have committed over 4000 hours of service to the refugee families.
Welcoming Week also includes plenty of fun. An annual Ice Cream Social event at Mr. Brown’s Park held last Sunday attracted 175 people, and the week culminates with Harvey’s Yacht Club Fundraiser on September 21. Harvey’s will generously donate 10 percent of the proceeds from the event to Welcoming Falls Church. Attendees can enjoy fresh oysters and a selection of beverages while supporting a cause that makes a tangible difference in
the community.
Beyond programs and events, the sentiment that inspires Welcoming Falls Church is best expressed by Samira Davis, a Board Member who commented at the City Council meeting last week: “We have resettled five refugee families in Falls Church, and they love the city. We are making a huge difference in their lives and their children’s lives.”
Mayor Letti Hardy and City Council members expressed their gratitude for Welcoming Falls Church’s leadership, applauding the organization for holding the city accountable to its values and bringing the community together. They encouraged the team to continue their inspiring work.
Check your voter registration at Vote411.org, or click the QR code below.
Make a plan to vote in the November 5, 2024, General and Special Elections. Early voting starts September 20, 2024. Last day to register to vote or update your registration: October 15, 2024.
Attend the League/VPIS Council Candidate Forum on September 26, 2024, 8:00-9:30 pm, at the Community Center, Senior Center Room.
WELCOMING WEEK’S ICE CREAM SOCIAL hosted in Falls Church.
(Photo: Belen Quellet)
Rising Up at Last Vs. ‘Christian Nationalism’
Nicholas F. Benton
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
At long last, the religious mainstream is starting to move against the poison of fundamentalist extremists who are being identified as Christian Nationalists. This is long, long overdue and it must be encouraged as much as possible.
Christian Nationalists are those providing the grassroots energy behind the fascist political campaigns of the miserable, failing Donald Trump and his chosen vice-presidential running mate, J.D. Vance.
They are so extremely anti-woman that it has been only in the most recent period that their true colors have become evident in the form of their advocacy for a total ban on abortion, which means a total ban on the right of women to determine what happens to their own bodies.
In what are baby steps but still critical, there are some mainstream churches that are beginning to take this Christian Nationalism head on, including in the form of a YouTube video of a sermon in Texas by state legislator James Talarico, whose powerful words in front of a church congregation correctly asserts that Christian Nationalism is the absolute opposite of true faith rooted in love and against arbitrary control and dominion.
This Sunday, the Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ in Arlington, Virginia, is slated to host a seminar led by Dr. Greg Carey entitled, “Christian Nationalism: What It Is and Why It’s Dangerous for Democracy and the Gospel.” It will answer the question of “why Christian Nationalism runs contrary to the gospel and undermines a democratic society,” according to an advertisement.
These first steps are undoubtedly being repeated elsewhere, and I hope it will become a major force this fall in advance of the November U.S. presidential election where the terrifying prospect of the election of Trump-Vance could spiral the world toward chaos and world war.
Up until now, mainstream and
progressive churches and synagogues have by and large operated under a general “live and let live” policy concerning different faiths, respecting the rights of individuals and groups to find their own ways in the pursuit of truth and faith. However, in the case of Christian Nationalism, in particular, this can no longer suffice, and the recent shift in attitudes on this question is coming none too soon.
I was a seminarian who graduated with a master’s degree with honors in the late 1960s, in the midst of the acute social ferment of that decade that sought civil rights and an end to the terrible war in Vietnam and suffered the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Democratic presidential front runnier Robert Kennedy, inner city riots, the violent 1968 Democratic national convention in Chicago, the rise of the hippie counterculture in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury and an ongoing profound chaos.
It was clear then, as it is now, that powerful reactionary forces were at work to undermine the efforts at peace and the extension of the promises of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution to elements in our society who were denied them up to that point.
This was the world that gave rise to Donald Trump, who was decidedly on the wrong side of all this, aligned with the brutal “counterinsurgency” efforts through the 1970s to suppress these impulses that resulted in the reactionary administration of Ronald Reagan by 1980.
I, for one, was dismayed by what I saw as a wholesale abandonment of the causes of peace and liberty by the mainstream and progressive religious institutions in that era and a retreat to a form of non-involvement that as a result handed over the reigns of religious leadership to the rising Christian Right.
For the first time in that decade, conservative Christians were retooled to become political and to intervene in the electoral process that got Reagan elected and much more.
We’ve seen in the last 40 years or so what the effects of that have been, and now what passes for Christianity in the minds of so many, including those in the media, is a pale and distant reflection of the robust advocacy of Dr. King and others from back in the 1960s.
So it is high time now for this to change.
Delegate Marcus Simon’s Richmond Report
September is the beginning of several different seasons. It’s football season (as you may remember from my last column, we dropped my son off at Virginia Tech last month, so Go Hokies!), it’s back-to-school season, in Virginia it’s election season (early Voting starts this week) and in Richmond, it’s “Boards, Councils and Commissions Season” — at least that’s what I’m calling it.
Virginia has a very short legislative session — 60 days in the even years and an even more concise 45 days in the odd years. As we get ready for the 2025 Session, the pace of commission work picks up in September, October and November. I currently serve as Chairman of the Virginia Code Commission as well as a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC), the Virginia Military Advisory Council, the Secure and Resilient Commonwealth Panel (SRCP), the Judicial Conference of Virginia District Courts, the House Select Committee on Maintaining Campus Safety and First Amendment Expression, and the Virginia Tribes Commission. I also Chair the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council (FOIA Council).
In my time on the FOIA Council, I have come to appreciate the issues surrounding FOIA requests in Virginia. Now that I am the Chair, I am eager to take a closer look at this process. What is FOIA?
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
was enacted in 1966, empowering the public to request access to federal agency records, ensuring that citizens, journalists, and watchdog organizations can monitor government activities. FOIA plays a crucial role in upholding democratic values by shedding light on the workings of public institutions, preventing corruption, and fostering informed public debate. By making government actions visible, FOIA strengthens trust between citizens and their representatives, reinforcing the principle that government should serve the people with integrity and openness.
Virginia FOIA Council
The Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council brings this transparency to the statelevel. The Council helps resolve FOIA-related disputes by answering questions from private citizens, public officials, and the media about access to public records and meetings. Under Virginia law, the presumption is that all public officials’ documents and all meetings of state and local public bodies are open to the public. However, there are exceptions, which often lead to good faith disagreements between interested parties.
The Council has the authority to issue advisory opinions with the intent to resolve disputes by clarifying what the law requires and to guide future practices. That said, it has no authority to mediate disagreements but can serve as a resource, conduct training seminars, and publish educational materials.
City of Falls Church CRIME REPORT
Week of September 9 — 15, 2024
No Valid Operator’s License, N Washington St, Sept 9, 9:39 AM, a female, 19, of Arlington, was arrested for No Valid Operator’s License.
No Valid Operator’s License, E Broad St, Sept 9, 1:05 PM, a male, 18, of Fairfax County, was arrested for No Valid Operator’s License.
Fraud, W Broad St, Sept 11, 10:25 AM, victim reported a check amount they wrote was fraudulently altered when cashed.
Embezzlement, Hillwood Ave, Sept 11, 11:01 AM, victim reported a former employee was utilizing a company card to fund expenses.
Fraud - Credit Card, Roosevelt Blvd, Sept 11, 3:00 PM, victim reported a fraudulent transaction on their credit card.
Extortion, Roosevelt Blvd, Sept 11, 3:30 PM, victim reported receiving multiple emails conveying threats in exchange for money.
Driving Under the Influence/
Destruction of Property, N Washington St, Sept 12, 2:34 AM, a female, 20, of Denver, CO, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. A street sign was destroyed during the incident.
Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts, N Washington St, between 9:00 PM on Sept 11 and 7:30 AM on Sept 12, an unknown suspect stole all four tires and rims from the victim’s vehicle.
Other Jurisdiction Warrant Service, N Virginia Ave, Sept 12, 1:49 PM, a male, 30, of Winston, GA, was arrested on an outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction.
No Valid Operator’s License, W Broad St, Sept 12, 8:05 PM, a male, 22, of Vienna, was arrested for No Valid Operator’s License.
Public Intoxication/Obstruction of Justice, W Broad St/S Maple Ave, Sept 14, 2:43 AM, a male, 25, of Centreville, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Obstruction of Justice.
Shoplifting, W Broad St, Sept 14,
6:30 PM, three unknown suspects stole merchandise without paying.
The first suspect is described as a black male, roughly 170 pounds, wearing a red hat, glasses, green T-shirt, gray jacket, and dark pants. The second suspect is described as a black male, roughly 180 pounds, with short dreadlock hair, wearing a white mask, black T-shirt, and dark pants. The third suspect is described as a black female, roughly 150 pounds, wearing a red scarf over her hair, black jacket, and dark pants.
Public Intoxication/Obstruction of Justice, Wilson Blvd, Sept 14, 11:00 PM, a female, 52, of Fairfax County, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Assault and Battery.
Driving Under the Influence, E Broad St, Sept 15, 2:10 AM, a male, 50, of Chantilly, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.
Larceny, N Oak St, between 5:00 PM on Sept 13 and 5:00 AM on Sept 15, a campaign sign was stolen from the victim’s yard.
Sara Fitzgerald Presents Latest Book, ‘The Silenced Muse’
by Belen Quellet
Retired journalist and Falls Church resident Sara Fitzgerald, acclaimed for both her novel and biography about Emily Hale— the woman behind Nobel-Prizewinning poet T.S. Eliot—recently presented her latest book, “The Silenced Muse,” at One More Page Books. This marks Fitzgerald’s second appearance at the bookstore, having previously launched her first book on Hale there.
Fitzgerald’s fascination with Emily Hale began in 2015 while researching T.S. Eliot’s poem “Burnt Norton.” Hale, Eliot’s lover and confidante, had a significant influence on his work, though she is not directly mentioned in the poem. The themes of time, memory, and human experience in “Burnt Norton” resonate with the emotional depth of Hale’s relationship with Eliot, which profoundly impacted his poetry.
Curiosity about Hale’s role in Eliot’s life led Fitzgerald to delve deeper into her story. Despite Hale’s pivotal role in Eliot’s life and work, she was often overlooked. Fitzgerald’s initial explo-
ration, “The Poet’s Girl,” depicted Hale’s life through fiction, but Fitzgerald’s recent work aims to provide a comprehensive biography of Hale, shining a light on her own achievements and struggles.
On September 12, Fitzgerald discussed “The Silenced Muse” at One More Page Books, a significant event where she spoke about her research after the longawaited opening of 1,131 letters Eliot wrote to Hale from 1930 to 1957. These letters, released in 2020 after a fifty-year embargo, prompted Fitzgerald to craft a traditional biography, unveiling Hale’s previously obscured side of the relationship. This development was a major turning point in Fitzgerald’s research, providing new insights into Hale’s influence and experiences.
The event featured a conversation with Diana P. Parsell, author of “Eliza Scidmore: The Trailblazing Journalist Behind Washington’s Cherry Trees,” Both Fitzgerald and Parsell, former journalists and Falls Church residents share a passion for illuminating the lives of overlooked women. Their bond was strengthened through their partic-
ipation in the Women’s History discussion group at the Library of Congress, a forum dedicated to exploring and celebrating women’s contributions to history.
A pivotal moment for Fitzgerald came when she realized inaccuracies in her novel about Hale’s awareness of Eliot’s feelings. The title “The Silenced Muse” reflects Eliot’s attempts to suppress Hale’s significance and deny their relationship. Despite this, Fitzgerald argues that Hale was crucial to both Eliot’s personal life and his poetry, deserving recognition for her own contributions and sacrifices.
Lyndall Gordon, a biographer of T.S. Eliot, acknowledges that while Hale is not explicitly mentioned in “Burnt Norton,” the poem’s introspective nature mirrors the emotional journey influenced by Hale. Fitzgerald’s biography seeks to give Hale the recognition she deserves, highlighting her achievements beyond her relationship with Eliot. Gordon’s perspective reinforces the notion that Hale’s presence in Eliot’s life was far more significant than previously understood.
Emily Hale was a trailblazer
in her own right. In 1922, she led the Wisconsin Players’ production of “Miss Lulu Bett,” the first play written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. This achievement underscores Hale’s role as a pioneering figure in the arts, showcasing her talent and determination. Despite her significant contributions, Hale faced numerous hardships, including financial difficulties after her father’s death. Eliot, despite his connections, did not provide her with the support she needed, leaving Hale to navigate her career and personal challenges on her own.
Fitzgerald’s research into Hale’s life has been described as a “treasure trove,” uncovering various aspects of Hale’s acting and teaching careers. This exploration revealed the broader challenge of recovering women’s histories, often overshadowed by their male counterparts’ records. Fitzgerald’s work underscores the difficulty of finding and preserving women’s stories, particularly before the 1970s, when women were frequently identified by their husbands’ names. This historical context highlights the importance
of Fitzgerald’s efforts in bringing Hale’s story to light.
Despite the exhaustion from completing her book, Fitzgerald enjoyed the process of biography writing, viewing it as a journey of discovery that resonates with her own life story. Eliot biographer Lyndall Gordon commended Fitzgerald for her “meticulous research” and for giving Hale the recognition she deserved throughout her life. Robert Crawford, another Eliot biographer, praised “The Silenced Muse” for its focused dedication and unique material, contributing valuable new insights to the field.
Fitzgerald hopes her work will continue to shed light on the struggles and achievements of past generations of women, inspiring readers and reflecting on her own life. “She was someone I could come to admire,” Fitzgerald remarks, emphasizing Hale’s lasting impact. Through her biography, Fitzgerald aims to ensure that Hale’s legacy is recognized and celebrated, highlighting the resilience and talent of a remarkable woman whose story deserves to be told.
News-Press
Community News & Notes
MHS’s Annual Community Kickoff Tailgate is Friday
Meridian High School is gearing up for a big evening with this year’s Community Kickoff Tailgate, which promises to be even greater than last year’s record-breaking event. Hosted by the Mustang Athletic Boosters, the festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, September 20.
The event will be held at the football stadium at Meridian (121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church), and surrounding patios and fields and will feature face painting, games, an inflatable obstacle course and bounce house, and food trucks from La Mati, Foster’s Grille. Lazy Mike’s Ice Cream will be served in concessions. One ticket is needed for both the tailgate and game, which may be bought at mustangsports.org or at the door. Elementary students get free admission with a paid adult.
This year’s event will also showcase around 20 exhibitors and community sponsors. At 7 p.m., the Mustang football team takes on the Culpeper County High School Blue Devils.
First FFN Collection of New School Year a Huge Success
More than 600 area Food For Neighbors (FFN) volunteers stepped up to tackle student hunger in Fairfax County last Saturday by collecting and sorting over 19,600 pounds of food and toiletries for public school children.
FFN, soon entering its ninth year, helps schools establish in-house food pantries and mobilizes local communities to fill them with food and toiletries donated through the nonprofit’s Red Bag Program.
Despite Northern Virginia being among the most affluent areas in the state, over 1 in 3 students in Fairfax County and more than 1 in 4 students in Arlington and Loudoun counties qualified for free or reduced-price school meals during the 2023-2024 school year. Food For Neighbors works to ensure that food is readily accessible to students during the school day and to take home over weekends and holidays.
Throughout its service area in Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties, Food For Neighbors collected and sorted over 26,000 pounds
of donations bound for 47 partnering schools. To learn more about Food For Neighbors and join more than 3,000 Red Bag donors and over 3,500 volunteers, visit foodforneighbors.org.
‘Dinner Party’ Named People’s Choice at FCA Show ‘Home’
Caroline Cherry’s painting “Dinner Party” has received the Falls Church Arts’ People’s Choice Award. The prize is sponsored by Foxcraft Design Group (110 Great Falls St., Falls Church).
Cherry’s work, which is available in the FCA gallery (700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church) for $1500, is an oil painting on canvas.
The painting was chosen by the visitors to FCA as the People’s Choice award winner. The theme for this exhibit is FCA’s “Home,” selected by the Instagram followers of the gallery. The show runs through September 29. Admission is free. For gallery hours, or to view or purchase artworks online, visit fallschurcharts.org.
Fall Plans Announced For Falls Church Forward
After a well-attended circusthemed potluck party in late July, and several crosswalk and street art painting projects in August, Falls Church Forward is ramping up for a new campaign, “Leave the Leaves.”
“For the health and benefit of you and our community, consider a different routine with your leaves this fall,” the FCF initiative reads, “Rather than raking or blowing them to the curb for the city to vacuum up, try different ideas to leave them on your property.”
FCF says songbirds, bees, fireflies, and butterflies depend on the biodiversity provided by falling autumn leaves. Leaving your leaves this fall, they say, will support the health of your lawn, save tax dollars on city leaf pickup, and protect and support biodiversity.
FCF notes that the city’s FY2024 budget included $250,000 for new leaf vacuums, and another $195,000 for pickup and storage — and that they already have two years of excess leaf mulch stored in the public works depot.
That transitioning to “Leave the
Leaves” doesn’t mean abandoning caring for your yard. Instead, FCF says, it just “involves a few thoughtful adjustments to traditional practices.”
First, instead of bagging them, use the mulching feature of your mower to shred them into smaller pieces. This serves as a natural fertilizer that can remain on the lawn. FCF says research shows “grass lawns can handle up to 4,000 lbs of leaf mulch per acre without any undesirable effects.” They say a light layer of leaves — about one inch — won’t hurt next year’s grass (blades should still be visible; pictures are available on the FCF website).
Excess leaves — whole or chopped up — may also be spread over garden beds, around bushes, or under trees to protect the soil, suppress weeds, and eventually improve soil health as they decompose. Leaves also make an excellent, nutrient-rich addition to compost piles.
FCF will hold a virtual Q&A event on October 20 at 2:00 p.m., with expert landscapers and gardeners available to discuss the initiative. FCF is seeking volunteers to deliver fliers, and community members to put “Leave the Leaves” yard signs in their yard. For more, visit fallschurchforward.org/leaves.
The Return of Rescue Ale, in Support of Pet Adoption
To continue reading, scan below:
For the fifth year in a row, Solace Brewing Company and Lost Dog Cafe Rescue Foundation (LDCRF) are partnering to present the 2024 edition of Rescue Ale in October, coinciding with National Adopt-aDog Month. Beginning October 3, cue dog ambassador and “tripawd”
Scan below for this week’s School News & Notes:
Hope is a two year old LDCRF alumnus, living her best life on three legs. Being a “tri-paw’d” does not slow her down a bit — Hope has run several 5Ks, inspiring adults and kids along the courses to do their best.
Rescue Ale will be sold at Solace Outpost, Solace Brewing Company, and all Lost Dog Cafe locations,
AT THE GRAND OPENING of the West End’s new Home2Suites by Hilton hotel, a donation of $500 to the Falls Church Education Foundation was presented. (Photo: Gary Mester)
FALLS CHURCH mayor Letty Hardi (center) and council member Debbie Hiscott (right) unveiled VisitFallsChurch.com at the city’s 75th anniversary event last weekend. (Photo: Gary Mester)
MATT QUINN, of Quinn’s Auction Galleries, spoke before the monthly Chamber luncheon Tuesday at the Italian Cafe. (News-Press photo)
THIS WEEK AROUND F.C.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19
FCCPS Parents' Night Out
The Meridian SCA hosts a Parents Night Out in the Cafeteria. $30 for one child, $15 for additional sibling. Pre-register at tinyurl.com/ FCNP0924sn. Meridian High School (121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church), 6:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 20
PARK(ing) Day
A global annual event where parking spots typically used by cars are transformed into temporary pop-up parks to rethink the use of urban spaces. Free and open to the public. Parking Lot (479 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Meridian Community Kickoff Tailgate
Mustang Athletic Boosters hosts its annual Community Kickoff Tailgate, held at the football stadium. Tickets at door or at mustangsports.com. Meridian High School (121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church), 5:30 p.m.
Annual drive-through food drive donation event, located on Spring Street in front of the church. St. James Catholic Church (830 W. Broad St., Falls Church), 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m.
Dr. E.B. Henderson Celebration Event
A special event celebrating the legacy of Dr. Edwin B. Henderson at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Free to attend. (Springfield, MA), 1:00 p.m.
Pumpkin 'n' Friends
Fall Festival
Join a day filled with fun activities, delicious food, and exciting entertainment. Bring your family and friends to enjoy pumpkin decorating, live music, and more. Free and open to the public. Founders Row (109 Founders Ave., Falls Church), 12:00 p.m. — 3:00 p.m.
2024 Taste of Annandale
A free community festival featuring live music and dance, food vendors, and more. Eileen Garnett Civic Space (7200 Columbia Pike,Annandale, VA), 10:30 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 22
Nova Metaphysical Market
Shop from 19 vendors selling wares, psychics, mediums, tarot card and aura readings, and Reiki masters.
Dr. Greg Carey of Lancaster Seminary presents "Christian Nationalism: What It Is and Why It's Dangerous for Democracy and the Gospel." Free and open to the public. Rock Spring Congregational Church (5010 Little Falls Rd., Arlington, VA), 3:00 p.m.
MONDAY
SEPTEMBER 23
City Council Meeting
F.C. City Council meets. Watch live or on-demand at fallschurchva.gov/ CouncilMeetings or on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 11:00 p.m.
TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 24
F.C. Chamber
Networking Mixer
Free to attend. The Casual Pint (6410 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church), 5:00 p.m. — 6:30 p.m.
English Conversation Class
A free English Conversation class for adults to practice their English language skills with other learners, and improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. No registration required. Walk-ins are welcome. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Lower Level Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 6:30 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25
Housing with Pride
"Housing with Pride: The Case for Creating Affordable, LGBTQ+ Welcoming Senior Housing in Arlington." Join for a reception at 6:45 p.m., followed by a panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. Clarendon Presbyterian Church (1305 N. Jackson St., Arlington, VA), 6:45 p.m.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26
Falls Church Candidate Forum
The F.C. League of Women Voters and Village Preservation and Improvement Society host a forum with both candidates for city council, Laura T. Downs and John B. Murphy, participating. Attendees will be able to submit questions for the candidates. Free and open to the public. Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Kenneth R. Burnett Bldg., Falls Church), 8:00 p.m.
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SCOTT CHASOLEN is the keyboard artist for The Machine, a premiere Pink Floyd tribute band that will perform this Saturday at The State Theater. (Courtesy photo)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
The following was given first reading at the May 28, 2024 City Council meeting. A public hearing, second reading, and possible City Council action is scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.
(TO24-11) ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH CHAPTER 48 “ZONING,” ARTICLE V “SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS,” DIVISION 2 “OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS” TO EXCLUDE THE FIRST 1,000 SQUARE-FEET FOR NEW COMMERCIAL USE OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS
The proposed amendments to the Zoning Code would have the effect of excluding up to 1,000 square feet of commercial floor area from the City’s minimum parking requirement calculations. The purpose of the proposed commercial parking relief is to expand the number of commercial uses that are eligible to occupy existing commercial buildings, so that existing commercial buildings may be more easily re-purposed over time.
A public hearing and possible City Council action is scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.
(TR24-30) RESOLUTION TO AMEND AND READOPT BICYCLE MASTER PLAN: CONNECTING COMMUNITIES, PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION 2015-13
The Bicycle Master Plan has a vision for bicycle facilities that provide connections to and between the City’s commercial areas and neighborhoods, transit facilities, schools, regional bicycle facilities, and designated bicycle routes in neighboring jurisdictions for comfortable and safe travel by people of all ages and abilities. The amended Bicycle Master Plan: Connecting Communities, is a guiding document for implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, and notes the numerous benefits of enabling bicycling as a safe and accessible form of transportation.
All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. All persons desiring to present their views on the items will be heard. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. Remote participation information at www. fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. For copies of legislation and other information, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www. fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711) or e-mail cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov.
CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING COMMISSION
CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
QUIREMENTS” TO EXCLUDE THE FIRST 1,000 SQUARE-FEET FOR NEW COMMERCIAL USE OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS
The proposed amendments to the Zoning Code would have the effect of excluding up to 1,000 square feet of commercial floor area from the City’s minimum parking requirement calculations.
The purpose of the proposed commercial parking relief is to expand the number of commercial uses that are eligible to occupy existing commercial buildings, so that existing commercial buildings may be more easily re-purposed over time.
All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. All persons desiring to present their views on the items will be heard. Comments may also be sent to jtrainor@fallschurchva. gov. Remote participation information at www. fallschurchva.gov/pc. For copies of legislation and other information, contact Jack Trainor jtrainor@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 571-421-7943 or e-mail jtrainor@ fallschurchva.gov.
PUBLIC NOTICE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD PUBLIC HEARING
The City of Falls Church Historic Architectural Review Board will hold a public hearing on Monday, September 30, 2024 at 7:00 PM in City Hall’s Dogwood Room (first floor), 300 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22043 to consider the following:
PROPOSED ALTERATION OF 258 N WASH-
INGTON: Removal of side porch and addition of three-story 8-unit residential development. New units will touch two walls of existing historic property.
* Planning Commission review of the site plan will be required prior to construction.
Information or copies of the proposed alteration can be viewed at the Community Planning and Economic Development Services (CPEDS)
or concerns. This
The following was given first reading at the May 28, 2024 City Council meeting. A public hearing and possible recommendation for City Council action is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.
(TO24-11) ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH CHAPTER 48 “ZONING,” ARTICLE V “SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS,” DIVISION 2 “OFF-STREET PARKING RE-
AUCTIONS
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On August 1, 2024, pursuant to § 56 585.1 A 6 (“Subsection A 6”) and § 56 585.1 A 7 (“Subsection A 7”) of the Code of Virginia (“Code”), Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) a petition (“Petition”):
(1)For approval of a new rate adjustment clause (“RAC”), designated Rider DIST, pursuant to Subsection A 6, to recover the projected and actual costs related to certain electric distribution grid transformation projects that the Commission has approved as part of the Company’s plan to transform its electric distribution grid (“GT Plan”) and to recover the costs associated with the Company’s Strategic Underground Program (“SUP”) (collectively, “Rider DIST Programs”) (“Request 1”);
(2)For approval to consolidate Riders GT and U, pursuant to Subsection A 7, resulting in: (i) the recovery of costs associated with the Rider DIST Programs through the proposed Rider DIST RAC; and (ii) the withdrawal of Riders GT and U, effective June 1, 2025 (“Request 2”); and
(3)For approval of an annual update procedure for Rider DIST with approval of the rate year commencing June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026 (“Rate Year”) (“Request 3”).
Regarding the Company’s GT Plan, in Case Nos. PUR-2018-00100 and PUR-201900154, the Commission approved the Company’s investments related to 11 GT Projects for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021 (“Phase I”). In Case No. PUR-2021-00127, the Commission approved additional investments related to 14 GT Projects for the years 2022 and 2023 (“Phase II”). In Case No. PUR-2023-00051, the Commission approved costs associated with the continuation of 12 previously approved GT Projects and two new GT Projects for the years 2024, 2025, and 2026 (“Phase III”).
With respect to Request 1, Dominion seeks approval of a new RAC, designated Rider DIST, to recover the costs associated with certain GT Projects and the Company’s SUP. Specifically, Dominion seeks cost recovery for a total of 18 GT Projects across all three Phases, including: (1) mainfeeder hardening, (2) targeted corridor improvement, (3) voltage island mitigation, (4) hosting capacity analysis, (5) the Locks Campus Microgrid, (6) physical security, (7) the Smart Charging Infrastructure Pilot Program, (8) telecommunications, (9)cyber security, (10) customer education, (11) intelligent grid devices, (12) fault, location, isolation, and service restoration (“FLISR”), (13) Distributed Energy Resources Management System, (14) Enterprise Asset Management System, (15) voltage optimization enablement, (16)substation technology deployment, (17) Outage Management System, and (18) the NonWires Alternatives Pilot Program. The Company represents that the Commission approved these Phases I, II, and III projects as reasonable and prudent up to the estimated capital and operations and maintenance costs for each project. The Company further represents that, should costs exceed the cost caps, those costs would be incurred at the Company’s risk, and it would be the Company’s burden to demonstrate the reasonableness and prudence for any such incremental investment.
The Company represents that based on current projected and actual costs, 12 of the 18 Phases I-III approved GT Projects for which the Company is seeking cost recovery in this proceeding are progressing in line with the overall budgetary plan within the Commissionapproved cost caps. Dominion asserts that six projects out of the 18 approved Phases I-III projects have projected costs that exceed the cost caps – mainfeeder hardening, voltage island mitigation, Locks Campus Microgrid, physical security, FLISR, and substation technology deployment. Dominion states that these projects are still reasonable to pursue and requests that the Commission approve the incremental costs of these GT Projects as reasonable and prudent. The Company asserts that the actual and projected costs for the Grid Transformation portfolio is approximately $38 million under the total Commission-approved cost cap.
Regarding the SUP, Dominion is requesting to recover costs associated with previously approved SUP Phases I-VII and proposed Phase VIII. Dominion provides an update on Phase VII of its SUP, and states that it completed 349.5 miles of underground conversions of overhead distribution tap lines and associated facilities as part of SUP Phase VII, compared to the estimated 382.5 miles originally proposed for SUP Phase VII underground conversions. The Company states that it estimated a per-mile cost for Phase VII of $674,526 per mile and the final per-mile cost was $737,965 per mile.
The Company represents that proposed SUP Phase VIII is designed to convert approximately 325.7 miles of overhead tap lines to underground facilities at a capital investment of approximately $239 million. The Application states that Phase VIII actual expenditures through May 31, 2024, are approximately $141.6 million, and that projected expenditures for the period June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025, are approximately $97.6 million. Dominion represents that for Phase VIII underground conversions, the Company estimates an average cost per mile of $734,547, an average cost per customer of $8,642 and an events per mile of 14.2. In this proceeding, Dominion is seeking recovery of costs of proposed SUP Phase VIII through Rider DIST for only those projects that will be completed prior to the beginning of the proposed Rate Year, June 1, 2025.
With respect to Request 2, Dominion seeks approval to consolidate Riders GT and U, resulting in the recovery of costs of the Rider DIST Programs through Rider DIST. Such consolidation would also result in the withdrawal of Riders GT and U. The Company states that the consolidation of Riders GT and U is in the interest of judicial economy because the Company’s GT Plan and SUP have been operational for several years, the costs of which the Commission currently reviews and approves separately. The Company further states that consolidating the riders will reduce the administrative burden and costs of filing these cases separately.
With respect to Request 3, Dominion seeks approval of an annual update procedure for Rider DIST with approval of the Rate Year. The Company seeks approval of a total revenue requirement of $268.52 million for Rider DIST, consisting of a revenue requirement of $102.46 million for the GT Plan Phases I-III, and $166.06 million for previously approved SUP Phases I-VII and proposed Phase VIII of the SUP.
Regarding its methodology to calculate jurisdictional and class allocation factors for the consolidated Rider DIST, Dominion states it would adapt the Rider GT allocation methodology, which was already weighted by each GT Project group’s contribution to the overall revenue requirement, to also include the SUP revenue requirement, and allocation methodology, in its weighting. The Company asserts that its proposed allocation methodology for Rider
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF A PETITION OF VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR APPROVAL OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE, DESIGNATED RIDER DIST, UNDER § 56-585.1 A 6 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF RIDERS GT AND U PURSUANT TO § 56-585.1 A 7 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUR-2024-00137 VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY
DIST follows both the approved methodologies from the Rider GT and Rider U proceedings and combines these methodologies into a single calculation. Dominion asserts that it has calculated the Rider DIST rates in accordance with the same methodology used for those rates approved by the Commission in the Company’s most recently decided Rider GT update case, Case No. PUR-2023-00136, and the Company’s most recently decided Rider U update case, Case No. PUR-2023-00172.
If the proposed Rider DIST revenue requirement for the Rate Year is approved, Dominion asserts that typical residential customer’s monthly bill, using 1,000 kilowatt hours (“kWh”) per month, would decrease by $1.13 compared to the combined impact of the current Rider GT and Rider U. The Company represents that the total Rider DIST monthly bill impact will be $6.26 based on usage of 1,000 kWh per month. The Company proposes Rider DIST to be effective for usage on June 1, 2025, or the first day of the month that is at least 15 calendar days following the date of any Commission order approving Rider DIST.
Interested persons are encouraged to review Dominion’s Petition and supporting documents in full for details about 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 Petition and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Petition and supporting documents.
The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on Dominion’s Petition. A hearing for the receipt of testimony from public witnesses on the Company’s Petition shall be convened telephonically at 10 a.m. on February 4, 2025. On or before January 28, 2025, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting
Beginning at 10 a.m. on February 4, 2025, the Hearing Examiner will telephone sequentially each person who has signed up to testify as provided above.
On February 4, 2025, at 10 a.m., or at the conclusion of the public witness portion of the hearing, whichever is later, in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, the Hearing Examiner will convene the evidentiary portion of the hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Petition from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission Staff (“Staff”).
To promote administrative efficiency and timely service of filings upon participants, the Commission has directed the electronic filing of testimony and pleadings, unless they contain confidential information, and required electronic service on parties to this proceeding.
Electronic copies of the public version of the Petition may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company: Jontille D. Ray, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or jray@mcguirewoods. com Interested persons also may download unofficial copies of the public version of the Petition and other documents filed in this case from the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
On or before January 28, 2025, any interested person may submit comments on the Petition by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/ casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to submit comments electronically may file such comments by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2024-00137.
On or before November 1, 2024, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation at scc.virginia.gov/ clk/efiling. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a notice of participation electronically may file such notice at the address listed above. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“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 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-202400137. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing.
On or before December 3, 2024, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. Any respondent unable, as a practical matter, to file testimony and exhibits electronically may file such by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. All testimony and exhibits shall be served on the Staff, the Company, and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Rules of Practice, as modified herein, including, but not limited to: 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-2024-00137.
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, except as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Rules of Practice.
The public version of the Company’s Petition, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, and other documents filed in the case may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
Meridian Field Hockey Shines
Again, Football Has Week Off
by Ryan McCafferty
The second week of September wasn’t the busiest one for sports at Meridian High School, with the football team having a bye week as they prepare for their home opener this Friday against Culpeper County. Field hockey, volleyball, cross country, and golf were all in action, though, and achieved some mixed results.
Field hockey continues to carry the banner for the Mustangs this season, just as they did last year. They added a trio of wins against James Monroe on Monday, at Brentsville on Tuesday, and back at home against Jackson-Reed on Friday, to improve to 6-0 on the year. They’ll now look to stay unbeaten when they host district rival Fauquier on Tuesday, and then travel to Sidwell Friends tonight.
The boys’ volleyball squad continues to endure some growing pains, losing all three of its matchups this past week as the group looks for its first win in program history. They lost 3-1 against Oakton on Monday before dropping two on the road at McLean and Mechanicsville on Thursday and Friday, both in 3-0 sweeps, but will try to regroup as they travel to Centreville this Tuesday and then host Langley tonight. Meanwhile the girls beat Liberty-Bealeton 3-0 on the road Tuesday before falling 3-1 at home to Millbrook on Thursday, and then took one of three games in tournament play on Saturday by beating C.D. Hylton 2-1 but losing to Washington-Liberty and Alexandria City. At 3-5 on the year now, another big week awaits the girls as they host Kettle Run on Tuesday and then travel
to Manassas Park on Thursday, before competing in another tournament on Saturday in which they’ll play Justice, Gar-Field, and Westfield.
Cross country competed at the Lake Braddock relays on Saturday, putting together some solid performances as William Anderson ran the 10th-fastest split of all runners in the boys’ race, while Michelle Malheiro and Ally Campbell were respectively 11th and 12th for the girls. Next, they’ll be competing in the Oatlands Invite on Saturday. Finally, the golf team was in action in a match at Shenandoah Valley, where they placed eighth out of 19 schools who competed in the event. They’ll now compete against Kettle Run and Millbrook at the Blue Ridge Shadows course on Wednesday this week, and take on another host of schools back at Shenandoah tonight.
Lila Deering Lifts Mustangs Over Fauquier In 1-0 Slugfest
by Ryan McCafferty
The unbeaten Meridian High School field hockey team hosted the Falcons of Fauquier County on Tuesday night in what was set to be a heated matchup between the district rivals. There was no shortage of chirping between the sidelines and passionate energy from the stands, with a crowd much bigger than normal in spite of the wet weather.
On the field, meanwhile, it proved to be a defensive slug-
fest as both teams struggled to find the back of the net. There was no score in the first quarter, though the Mustangs controlled the majority of the time of possession, and it looked as if the teams would go into the halftime break still knotted up before Lila Deering slipped one through with just under 90 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Meridian stayed on the gas pedal after the intermission, but Deering’s goal ended up being the game’s only tally. Goaltender
Baelyn Reinfurt came up with a few big stops to secure the 1-0 victory, and the Mustangs improve to 7-0 on the season as they continue to pick right up where last year’s State Finals team left off.
Head coach Anne Steenhoek said postgame that she believes this was the team’s biggest test against a district opponent thus far this season. In that case, it should prepare them well for what figures to be another tough battle tonight, when they’ll travel to Sidwell Friends School in D.C.
T h e LGB T Q + R e ach
by Brian Reach Falls Church News-Press
HRCF Releases 2024 Climate Report
On Tuesday the The Human Rights Campaign Foundation released its annual 2024 HRCF LGBTQ+ Climate Survey report, finding that LGBTQ+ Americans remain the most politically engaged group in the country.
The report found that 95.7 percent of LGBTQ+ adults are registered to vote, compared to 69.1 percent of U.S. adults.
This is higher than any other demographic, anywhere, even beating D.C.’s 86.9 percent (according to Census data).
93.2 percent of LGBTQ+ voters expressed some motivation to vote in November, with 73 percent saying they are highly motivated. They said they prefer Kamala Harris to Donald Trump by a nearly 67 point margin (74 percent to 7.5 percent).
92.1 percent said they’ve seen, read, or heard about Project 2025 at least somewhat — with 34.6 saying “a lot.”
Of those, 93.7 percent view it unfavorably — 87 percent very unfavorably.
For comparison, a recent Navigator poll found that more than half of Americans still know little or nothing about Project 2025, including more than two-thirds of Republican and Republican-leaning voters.
Perhaps most notably, the report found that 95.4 percent of eligible LGBTQ+ Gen Z voters (age 18-27) are registered, compared to just 59.4 percent of eligible Gen Z voters nationwide.
Washington Blade Makes History
The D.C.-based LGBTQ+ newspaper
The Washington Blade , which has been in weekly circulation since 1969, sat down with President Joe Biden late last week, in the first exclusive Oval Office interview ever made by an LGBTQ+ publication.
Biden expressed pride for his role in the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality during his time as President and Vice President, celebrated the courage of LGBTQ+ Americans, remarked on the current political climate, and credited his father with his openness to LGBTQ+ individuals from an early age.
“My dad used to say that everyone’s entitled to be treated with dignity,” Biden said to The Blade , a story familiar to many about a time his father saw him respond with shock at the sight of two men kissing. “Joey, it’s simple. They love each other.”
Read the full interview and story at tinyurl.com/FCNP0924wb.
Not Their Preferences, But Their Actions
My grandfather is a few years older than President Biden, and he’s told a similar story ever since I came out. When he was growing up, he said, his father would tell them, “Don’t judge
people by their preferences. Judge them by their actions.”
I’ve heard these stories throughout my life, from older men and women whom I’ve spoken to in various settings, from various walks of life. Even back then, some people knew that we were all just living our own normal lives. The most enlightened people I’ve met see very little daylight between the hate of the past and the hate of the present.
The plainly bigoted language — tropes about immigrants eating pets, or mispronouncing Kamala, or saying “she wants to do Transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison” — is being used on purpose, cynically, by the GOP. Not because they believe them, but because they cause harm nonetheless.
Words have consequences. At least 33 separate bomb threats have been made to schools, city hall, and state offices in Springfield, OH in the last week, causing evacuations and closures. Dozens of Ohio State Police are now stationed in Springfield schools, with a bombsniffing dog available around-the-clock.
The city’s annual Culture-Fest, which was scheduled to begin September 27, has been called off. Some colleges are holding virtual classes all week.
This is only because Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, with no evidence, repeated racist tropes about Haitian immigrants, who came here legally, eating neighborhood pets.
Police, the Mayor, and other officials in the City of Springfield have repeatedly said that there are absolutely no — zero — credible reports of Haitian immigrants harming, abducting, or eating pets.
“There’s a lot of garbage on the internet,” said Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, “and, you know, this is a piece of garbage that was completely not true. There’s no evidence of this at all.”
“Whatever some local mayor said about this case, I am hearing from dozens of constituents who are concerned about these issues,” J.D. Vance responded in an interview on CBS’s “Face The Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
In the ten days since Donald Trump first made the claim, Vance and Trump have yet to produce a single constituent with a claim.
We All Know How To Be Better
Respect people’s differences. Don’t judge a book by its cover. A tree is known by its fruit. Treat others how you’d want to be treated. These are the “salt of the earth” values that we all share as Americans, no matter what side of the aisle you’re on.
From the very beginning, this country has — despite our own embattled, problematic, hypocritical past — thrived because of our foundational values of freedom, equality, and ethics.
Let’s double-down on those.
Falls Church Business News & Notes
Pro Industry Networking Event
Tonight, the newly opened Floor & Décor in the Bailey’s Crossroads area of Falls Church is hosting a networking event for professionals in the industry. The event runs 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. with dinner and guests may enter to win a tumbler, cash, iPad, Yeti and more. The celebration continues Saturday, September 21, 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. with the Grand Opening where the first 200 customers will win free gifts from Acme Pie Company and baby succulents from Rewild. Floor & Décor is also holding the $100k Crack the Code game. The first 200 to sign up will get the chance to win. Visit the first location in the area at 5810 Crossroads Center Way.
Wellness and Well-Being Seminar
Three local experts in different fields are leading a seminar that will teach participants how to supercharge their leadership, transform their health, and move for a better life. Hear from Aaron Abreu, CEO and founder of Cognitus Leadership and Executive Coaching; Kathy Paczak, CEO and founder of Healthy Lives Journey; and Nicle Leppert, owner of Fyzical Therapy and Balance Centers. These experts will inspire you with actionable steps to take for positive results. The seminar will be held at Fyzical this Saturday 10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. Register for the session at bit.ly/WellnessSept2024.
SEO & Social Selling
SBDC is offering a webinar on the power of SEO and social media to target your market and attract customers on Wednesday, September 25, 10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. The session will cover website optimization, social selling, your digital channel strategy, and how to use paid media and advertising. This is free and the link will be shared after registering at clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=110440031.
Opportunity for Storefronts
Falls Church Arts is hosting the Halloween Window Painting Festival for the 16th year. Merchants are invited to register to have their windows painted and the community is invited to register to do the painting of the storefront windows. The painting dates are October 5, 6, 13, and 14. The painters will clean the windows November 1 through 3. This community-wide event drew nearly 300 painters to over 40 businesses last year. Businesses may register at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe Vra3SluUFQBJOaE-0pbJRFiuANP7u06Bx0lMQVm9z3U309w/viewform.
City Tourism Website Launched
The City of Falls Church has a new tourism website, visitfallschurch.com, to provide an enhanced and comprehensive resource for visitors and residents alike. It features comprehensive directories, easy-to-use interactive maps, current events calendar, itinerary suggestions, and local insights.
Fall Event at Founders Row
Founders Row is celebrating the season with the Welcome to the Pumpkin n Friends Fall Festival! Saturday, September 21, 12:00 p.m. — 3:00 p.m. bring friends and family to enjoy fun activities, delicious food, free popcorn, and live entertainment. Activities include pumpkin decorating, arts and crafts, and face painting. Be sure to register for the free event at eventbrite.com/e/pumpkin-n-friends-fall-festivaltickets-1004654066357.
Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.
