Schools Closed Tuesday, City Offices Open

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

February 8, 2010

Falls Church City Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 9 (Code Red).  Day care and ASAP will also be closed and all evening activities have been cancelled.

Because the schools have now exceeded the four snow days built into the school calendar, make up days will occur Monday, Feb. 15 (Presidents’ Day), and Monday, Apr. 12 (Professional Day).  

 The school budget work session scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9 has been postponed until Saturday, Feb. 13.  (The meeting will occur in the Central Office Conference Room, the “Flower Building,” 800 W. Broad Street, Suite 203, Falls Church.  The time has not yet been determined but will be posted at www.fccps.org

City government offices, the library and Community Center will OPEN at 10 am on Tuesday, Feb. 9, with unscheduled leave for employees.  City schools will be CLOSED (Code Red) and recreation classes are cancelled.  GEORGE bus will not run on Tuesday.  Trash and recycling scheduled for Tuesday will be picked up.   City snow removal crews continue to widen intersections... [Read more...]

MAN ABOUT TOWN: Sinking on the Good Ship Ti-Tiny

By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Falls Church Times Staff

February 8, 2010

(Redbook Edition:  Words taken from actual statements appear in red. Other dialogue is conjectural.)

Time: Right about now

Scene: The Good Ship Ti-Tiny, a modern, “Little” version of an earlier, larger, vessel

Cast:
MAT (The Man About Town)
Captain Gardner
First Officer Lippman
Retired Officer Chavern (confidant to the Captain’s husband)
Various  passengers

The curtain rises:

MAT – The ship is sinking! Man the lifeboats! A large luxury liner, the Arlington, is not far away. We can reach it safely if we act now.

Passenger #1 – It’s disheartening to hear this loudmouth day after day. Instead of continually urging us to abandon ship, why doesn’t he offer a constructive solution?

Passenger #2 — Look – here comes Captain Gardner. She’ll tell us what to do. What’s the latest news, Captain?

Captain Gardner – It’s fine. The... [Read more...]

100th FIRSTfriday in the 100-Year Snow

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Sunday Driving: Yesterday Was Powder; Today Is Ice

By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Falls Church Times Staff

February 7, 2010

Around 6 a.m. Sunday morning I drove out of my  cul-de-sac in my daughter’s red “fire truck.” At the intersection with Gundry Drive the headlights of a snow plow approached. Timing is everything. The plow threw a mini-mountain of snow in front of the exit from the cul-de-sac, but Big Red was up to the challenge. We crunched through the barrier and followed the plow. My neighbors with cars parked on the street will not be driving today — their vehicles are buried under a 3-foot wall of icy plowed snow.

Arriving at Broad Street, I marveled at how different the conditions are today. Saturday was a soft, magical, world of powder. Today is harsher — colder, icier, and more dangerous. The sounds are very different also. Yesterday’s hushed stillness has been replaced with grating, scraping noises.

My commute on I-66 was not as pleasant, either. Yesterday I had the road to myself, driving about 25 mph. Today I upped the speed close to 35, but nevertheless was passed by numerous vehicles, seemingly in a hurry and driving way too fast... [Read more...]

VIDEO: Scenes From the Snowy Little City

February 6, 2010

The second major storm of the 2009-2010 winter season changed life in Falls Church CIty, albeit temporarily. People spent their weekend shoveling snow, left their cars at home, and instead took to major routes on foot or ski. Click “read more” below and then click the video box to watch.

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OPINION: Please Be Patient, Crews Are Doing Their Best

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

February 6, 2010

Sinclair Lewis observed in Main Street that winter in Minnesota is not a season, it is an industry.  That has never been so here and hopefully never will be, but some people in The Little City are under the impression that it is and that our side streets should have been plowed by sunset.

Many weren’t and some might not be plowed until sunset on Sunday, though not for lack of effort.  The City crews have not gone home.  They worked all through last night and will work well into tonight.   They catch a few hours sleep on cots at the Property Yard.  They are doing their best and more, but neither they, nor anyone else here, can clear a record amount of snow in record time.

I know snow, having often seen more in a winter than Falls Church sees in a decade.   I know how hard it is to move it, wherever it falls.  Two feet of snow is a challenge for any city, little or large.  I think the City crews did a great job in December and will do so again.

Emerson wrote that patience and fortitude conquer all things.  So they do.  Please be... [Read more...]

Blizzard No. 2 Hits Falls Church

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

February 6, 2010

Falls Church was hit with its second severe storm of the season this weekend, with snow starting at 10 a.m. Friday and ending around 5 p. m. Saturday.   Here are some images from around town, courtesy of Alison Kutchma.

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EDA Member Challenges Housing Project’s Value to City

By STAN FENDLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

February 5, 2010

A member of the Falls Church Economic Development Authority challenged the wisdom of the proposed affordable housing project, “The Wilden,” Tuesday night, indicating that the City could gain over $1 million a year with a different approach.

At the organization’s monthly meeting EDA member Mike Novotny presented a 15-slide presentation considering alternative uses of The Wilden property at 350 South Washington Street, along with adjacent properties at 360 and 370 South Washington Street.  Earlier this week, City officials disclosed that the new owner of 360 South Washington, Bob Young of McLean-based Jefferson One LLC, intends to construct a new commercial building in a consolidated site plan with The Wilden.  The Wilden property is owned by the Falls Church Housing Corporation, which will team with Boston-based The Community Builders to construct the affordable housing project.   Falls Church Housing Corporation is seeking a $2 million 15-year loan from Falls Church taxpayers to support The Wilden.  City officials indicate that Young has discussed... [Read more...]

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