City Council to Vote Monday on Tax Increase, Budget Cuts, Affordable Housing Loan

By STAN FENDLEY
FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

March 21, 2010

The Falls Church City Council will vote Monday on preliminary approval of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget and final passage of a 66-unit affordable housing unit for senior citizens, called “The Wilden”.

The affordable housing project will come first on the evening’s agenda.  Included will be a Special Exception ordinance allowing residential construction in a commercial area and approval of a $2 million City loan.

A City staff memo describing the details of the project is available at the City website, along with other background materials.

Following recommendations from the Falls Church Planning Commission, additional conditions will be added to the City loan, including a condition relating to the use of proceeds from the potential sale of Winter Hill Apartments, a condition regarding the financing of land acquisition and parking construction on adjacent property at 360 S. Washington Street, and new loan default protections.

Also on the affordable housing agenda will be measures providing a tax exemption for the project and making related zoning... [Read more...]

GMHS Girls Win Lacrosse Opener

By JANE JOHANSEN
Special to the Falls Church Times

March 20, 2010

Friday night at Potomac Falls High School as George Mason High School Varsity Lacrosse senior midfielder Gwen Edwards stepped into the center circle to execute the first draw of the season, the George Mason Mustangs were already upbeat.  They had just watched their Junior Varsity team dominate in its game against the Potomac Falls Panthers with a score of 14 to 0, invoking the slaughter rule in the process.

The Potomac Falls Panther’s new Head Coach John Murray was hoping for a good start to the Panther’s season considering that last year the Panthers and the Mustangs played a very close game with Mason just eking out a win of 12 to 11.  But this year, under the guidance of Head Coach Courtney Gibbons and Assistant Coach Laura MacFie, the Mustangs earned a more definitive win of 12 to 5 over the Panthers.

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FOOD: Asian Imports — That Other Asian Supermarket

By JIMMY SCARANO
Falls Church Times Staff

March 19, 2010

There are so many incredible Asian food markets within a 10 mile radius of the City of Falls Church.

Great Wall off Gallows Rd. in Falls Church may be the craziest of the bunch.  On Saturday mornings the check-out lines are often ten people deep, comprised mostly of Chinese grandmothers stocking up on loads of fresh vegetables and fish straight out of the live tanks that line the back of the store.  The Korean-centric H Mart across the street is similarly chaotic, teeming with people at all hours of the day.

At Duangrats in Falls Church and Bangkok 54 Market in nearby Arlington homesick Thais shuffle in throughout the week for curry pastes, fresh rice noodles, kaffir lime leaves, and other hard-to-find items.  Every time I go to one of them I leave with a new treasure I’ve never tasted in my life.

And there are countless other places that get plenty of well-deserved business—the Grand Mart just outside the city; the Cho Saigon Supermarket at the Eden Center; the Happy Go Supermarket in Annandale.

But there is an overlooked... [Read more...]

4 Cars Stolen from City Residences Wednesday

By BARBARA GORDON
City of Falls Church Director of Communications

March 18, 2010

Falls Church Police are investigating the theft of four autos in the southeast part of the City of Falls Church early yesterday morning (March 17).  The stolen vehicles were all locked and parked in the residences’ driveways or in front of their houses on the following streets: Tuckahoe, Villa Ridge, Van Buren and Offut. One vehicle was recovered with damage to the steering column and ignition; the three other stolen vehicles have yet to be recovered.

City Police Detectives have been working with regional law enforcement agencies regarding a possible trend in which the vehicles stolen are often Chrysler and Dodge products.  Additionally, the hot spots for these thefts seem to be in neighborhoods surrounding the area Metro transit stations.

Anyone with possible information about these auto thefts or other suspicious activity should call the Falls Church Police Department at 703-248-5051.

Things to remember in securing your own property and vehicles: Do not leave vehicles unlocked and do not store any valuables in a vehicle within sight... [Read more...]

MARCH MADNESS: Last Chance to Join Pick’em Tourney

By JIMMY SCARANO
Falls Church Times Staff

March 17, 2010

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament tips off tomorrow, which means time is running out to sign up for the first ever Falls Church Times pick’em pool.

Remember that it’s free to enter a bracket in the tournament and there are prizes available for the top two finishers!  The winner will win a $75 gift certificate to a restaurant in the City of Falls Church of his or her choice and the runner-up will win a hand-picked gift basket of Falls Church Farmers Market goodies.

The tournament is being run through yahoo.com.  If you wish to participate all you have to do is click here and press the “join a group” icon.  The group ID number is 50125 and the password is fallschurchtimes.com (if you are not already a yahoo member you will need to create an account—it takes only a minute and is free).

Let the madness begin.

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Affordable Housing Project Moves Toward Approval

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

March 17, 2010

The Falls Church Planning Commission voted 5-2 on March 15 to recommend approval of a special exception for the construction of The Wilden at 350 South Washington Street.   The decision, which culminated the four hour session, clears the way for the City Council to approve the 66 unit senior affordable housing project on second reading next Monday, March 22.

Planning Commission Chair John Lawrence and Commissioner Rob Meeks voted against the exception and earlier were joined by Commissioner Ruth Rodgers in supporting a motion, introduced by Mr. Meeks and seconded by Ms. Rodgers, which would have recommended against Council approval of the project.  That proposal was defeated by a 4-3 vote.

Commissioner Lindy Hockenberry led the opposition to Meeks’ motion, saying it was a disservice to kill the project at the Planning Commission level.  She stated that she felt The Wilden is a very good project which in the long run would bring about many other development opportunities that would otherwise be lost.

Commissioner Michael Kearney concurred, stating... [Read more...]

TJ Elementary Named Title 1 Distinguished School

By Falls Church City Public Schools Communications

March 16, 2010

Thomas Jefferson Elementary is among 101 schools being recognized by the Virginia Board of Education as a Title I Distinguished School.  The honor is presented to schools that raise the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students. The awards are based on student achievement on state assessments during 2008-2009 and the previous school year.

To earn the designation of “Title I Distinguished Schools” Thomas Jefferson maintained full state accreditation under the commonwealth’s Standards of Learning program for two consecutive years, met federal benchmarks in reading and mathematics and had average test scores in both subjects at the 60th percentile or higher.

“When provided effective and focused instruction, all children — regardless of economic status — can achieve academic success, and these results confirm that,” said Board of Education President Eleanor B. Saslaw.

Thomas Jefferson Elementary is Falls Church City’s only Title I school.  The school will receive a certificate celebrating its status and achievement.

Title I of... [Read more...]

OPINION: Lighten Up, George! Things WILL Get Better

By ANNETTE HENNESSEY and STAN FENDLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

March 16, 2010

Our fellow Falls Church Times volunteer, George Southern, has written a series of “the sky is falling and we must cede to Arlington” posts in his Man About Town column.  This week’s was just downright depressing, perfect for a cold rainy Monday morning.  In Why Things Won’t Get Any Better, our school population has exploded and caused a budget crisis.  And on top of that, the City is broke.

Frankly, we think George is yanking our chains so that we will start thinking and talking about what’s going on with the City and its budget. Every community in the United States is facing hard economic times.  But going through hard times can be a good thing.  Now is the time that our community should identify what’s important, make decisions around those priorities, focus on why Falls Church City is a place people want to live.

We’re a long way from having to throw up our hands and give up our independent city status.  As the law stands today, if the City of Falls Church ceases to exist, we get folded back into Fairfax... [Read more...]

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