African Conservationist Visiting for Sister City Meetings

African conservation leader Albert Lokasola arrives in Falls Church June 26 for a three-week stay to meet with City officials and supporters. Lokasola is a native of Kokolopori, Democratic Republic of Congo, Falls Church’s sister city in Africa.

Lokasola, a chemist by training, is the former Secretary-General of the Democratic Republic of Congo Red Cross and founder of Vie Sauvage, a non-profit conservation organization. “This is Mr. Lokasola’s first visit to Falls Church in almost four years. We’re delighted that so many people here will have a chance to meet him and satisfy their curiosity about life in our Sister City,” said Ingrid Schulze, director and cofounder of the Kokolopori-Falls Church Sister City Partnership

Lokasola’s public appearances will include a presentation on the community of Kokolopori on July 1 at F.A. McGonegal Showroom, an address to the Falls Church City Council on July 13, and wine and cheese fundraiser at Red, White and Bleu on July 14.

Kokolopori is an indigenous community of approximately 8,000 people in Equateur Province, DRC, located in Central Africa in the world’s second largest contiguous rainforest. The Mongandu people of Kokolopori manage a rainforest reserve of 1,800 square miles, the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve. The reserve is home to many native plant and animal species, including bonobos, the least known and most endangered of the six great ape species, native only to the DRC.

For more information, contact info@kokolopori-partnership.org.

GEORGE Fares Raised, Transit Task Force Approved

Monday night the City Council approved an increase in the GEORGE bus fare and the establishment of a task force that will develop recommendations on how to improve service.

The fare will increase from $.50 to $1.25 for SmarTrip card holders and $1.35 for riders paying by cash.  These rates are consistent with those charged by Metro, Arlington Rapid Transit (ART), Fairfax Connector, and other regional systems.  The complete fare schedule appears at the end of this story.   

The new fare rates will take effect on Monday, July 6, when ART assumes control of the buses.  As of that date GEORGE will provide only rush hour service on the 26E and 26W; the mid-day 26A service will cease. 

On June 8 the Council approved a standard fare of $1.00.  However, the buses’ fare boxes, which also are used to collect ridership data, could not be re-keyed before the transfer of service to ART.  When that modification is accomplished, the fare will be reduced to the rate originally intended.  This likely will not be until after Labor Day.

Task Force Approved

The transit task force, which will consist of five members, will be established next month.   City staff recommends the membership include one person from the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation (CACT), a regular GEORGE rider, and two members from the general public.

If the task force recommends continuation of GEORGE it will develop recommendations on optimal routing and scheduling, fare structure, marketing strategies and branding, and additional revenue streams such as grants or advertisements on the buses.  The task force’s report will be due no later than January 2010.   

GEORGE Fare Schedule

One-way base fare-cash/token………………………….. $1.35

One-way base fare-SmarTrip card ………………………. $1.25

One-way base Metrorail transfer fare-SmarTrip card ……… $0.75

One-way base fare for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, upon
presentation of valid WMATA ID or Medicare card…………. $0.60

One-way base fare for middle and high school students, upon presentation of
valid middle school or high school Identification ……………………… $0.60

Metro Access Riders, upon presentation of a Metro Access ID ……………. Free

One-way base fare for residents/business owners within certain mixed used
developments, upon presentation of a valid GEORGE pass …………… Free

Essential City Project Nearing Completion

What’s essential?

It’s possible to imagine life in Falls Church without GEORGE.  Some people have never taken the bus and likely never will.

How about street lights?  It would be dark and dangerous, but then it’s daylight half the time anyway.

Snow removal?  Some years it hardly snows and if it does, it melts, eventually.

Of course street lights and snow plows really are essential, and perhaps even our beleagured bus system.  Many people would miss GEORGE and everyone would be terribly inconvenienced if we were ever snowbound in the dark.   

But try to imagine life here without a sewer.  Even if you try you probably can’t.  Sewers long pre-date buses, electric street lights, or snow plows, and for good reason.  They have been an essential aspect of civilization for thousands of years and cannot be neglected.

Each year Falls Church conducts a sanitary sewer rehabilitation project which extends the life of the existing sewer mains.  By reducing the amount of inflow of storm water and ground water, the work also is expected to reduce the city’s treatment costs.

This year’s project, which began in late February includes lining approximately 8,800 linear feet of sewer main with polyester resin.  That’s well over a mile and involves work on over a dozen Falls Church streets, but only a small fraction of the city’s 48 mile long system.

The last of this year’s work, which is expected to be finished by the end of July, will include lining approximately 1,000 linear feet of sewer main on South Washington Street and in easements near the Parmelee Subdivision – West Columbia Street – Little Falls Street area.  To minimize traffic disruption, the work on South Washington is planned to take place at night.

Business, Community Members Make Graduation Special

[Ed: Pam Stroup and the other co-chairs for the George Mason All Night Graduation Celebration Committee would like to thank the businesses in Falls Church who gave so generously to the event.  Anyone have photos of the event they can  share?]

The George Mason High School 2009 All Night Graduation Celebration Committee and the Business in Education Partnership thank the following businesses and community members for their contributions to this year’s celebration.  A special thank-you goes to the Skyline Sport & Health Club for hosting the event.

7-Eleven Stores; Applebee’s; Argia’s; Arlington County Bar Foundation; Art & Frame of Falls Church; BB&T; Capitol Hill Dental Group; Clare & Don’s Beach Shack; Clyde’s; Container Store; DC United; Direct Jewelry Outlet; Dogwood Tavern; Dominion Jewelers; Dr. Lawrence Banker, DDS; Dr. Scott Berman. DDS; Dr. James Dryden, DDS; Dr. Irwin Feldman, DDS; Dr. Harold Fleming. DDS; Drs. Melanie Love & Mark Miller. DDS; Dr. Michael Silveus, DDS; Dallas and Deborah Hudgens; Edward Jones Investments; Elevation Burger; Falls Church Animal Hospital; Falls Church Education Foundation; Falls Church City Sunoco; Falls Church Education Association; Falls Church Foot & Ankle Center; Falls Church Police Association; Falls Church Yellow Cab; Family Medicine in Falls Church; Flippin’ Pizza; Foxes Music; Galleria Florist; Great American Restaurants; Idylwood Grill; JR Stockyards Inn; J. Gilbert’s; Korte Realty; La Cote D’Or Café; Ledo Pizza; Let’s Play Music; Lions Club of Falls Church; Metro 29 Diner; Murray, Jonson & White; Nash Hair Design; Old Hickory Grill; O’Hara & O’Hara; Original Pancake House; Panjshir; The Peterson Companies; Point of View Eyewear; Sonic Car Wash; Staples; Washington Nationals Baseball Club; Washington Redskins; Chip Hailey; Total Wine; Anthony’s; Baguette Republic; Shirley Connuck; Domino’s; Giant Food (Falls Plaza); Giant Food (Arlington Blvd); Giant Food LLC; Harris Teeter; Italian Café; Jason’s Deli; Jerry’s Pizza; Kendall’s Cakes; Magruder’s; Maneki Neko; Bland Management (McDonald’s); Milan Bakery; Nancy Peacock; Quizno’s; Red, Hot, and Blue; Safeway/Public Affairs; Safeway (Lee Highway); Shoppers Food & Pharmacy; Stacy’s Coffee Parlor; Subway; Trader Joe’s; Wegman’s; Whole Foods.

* (Photo Credit: Ms. Joy Sulewski)

City Approves ‘Green Lab’ Request for Stimulus Funds

The Falls Church City Council unanimously voted to request $25 million in federal stimulus funds Monday night for a “Zero-Net Energy” demonstration project developed by a community task force led by developer Bob Young and Falls Church Housing Corporation head Carol Jackson.  Vice Mayor Hal Lippman and Councilmembers Nader Baroukh, Dan Maller, David Snyder, Daniel Sze, and Lawrence Webb all voted aye after a long and probing debate.  Mayor Robin Gardner was absent. 

The Zero-Net Energy proposal, also referred to as the “Green Lab” proposal, was first presented to the Council last week and was on a fast-track from the beginning, with the proponents stating that a vote this week was essential.  Although no federal deadline for the application exists, proponents stated that waiting beyond June 30 to submit the application would mean the proposal would be considered after those from other cities.   

Still, the proposal narrowly avoided postponement when a motion to postpone by Councilmember Nader Baroukh failed on a 3-3 vote.  Snyder and Webb voted with Baroukh.  Lippman, Maller and Sze opposed. 

Earlier in the three hour debate, the measure appeared headed for defeat, with Baroukh, Lippman and Webb all voicing serious reservations. 

Baroukh started the questioning by referencing earlier communications from City Manager Wyatt Shields raising questions about the City’s ability to staff the project.   

“What won’t get done [if the city staff has to implement the program],” Baroukh asked Shields.  “What grant applications won’t get written?  I don’t want to see basic city services suffer.” 

Shields admitted that those were “big questions” and said the Green Labs program would be very disruptive.  “I don’t know how we’re going to do it,” he said.  But then he added “There is a great deal of staff commitment . . .  I have a sense that if the City Council tells us to go forward, the staff wants to work on it.”

Webb also expressed reservations, noting that the City’s “neck is on the line” and that there were “legitimate questions that haven’t been answered.”

Lippman voiced similar concerns, raising questions about the size of the program versus potential benefits.  “This is $25 million,” he said.  “That’s a third of our city budget.”  He told the proponents “You have to be a lot more concrete for me to understand the benefits.  I’m just not there yet.” 

But Snyder and Maller proposed changes which seemed to alleviate some of their colleagues’ concerns.  Snyder successfully excised a “Pay As You Throw” provision that would require a tax on trash, noting that he could not support adding an additional burden on City residents for a basic City service.  He also questioned the expectations of those who had helped develop the proposal, noting that it was unusual that an outside consultant had developed a document for City staff to present to the Council.  Snyder stated that strict adherence to procurement law would be required, including competitive bidding, and that those who participated in drafting the proposal should not expect to profit it from it simply due to their early involvement. 

Maller’s amendment added language at the end of the proposal to make clear that the program would comply with all state and federal procurement laws and that the City Council would continue to have oversight over the program after any grant award. 

During a break in the discussions, Baroukh had sidebar conversations with City Manager Shields, which seemed to address his staffing concerns.  After the Council reconvened, Baroukh publicly revisited the staffing issue with Shields, who noted that under the terms of the proposal the city would get management help from a non-profit organization created to run the program day-to-day. 

After that exchange, Lippman called for votes on Baroukh’s unsuccessful motion to postpone, a voice vote on Maller’s amendment, and final passage of the Green Labs measure. 

One point of discussion, raised by the Falls Church Times during Citizen’s Comments, and then again from the dais by Baroukh and Snyder, was whether the application would clarify that green projects already planned would be eligible for funding under the program.  Prompting the question was the proposal’s specific mention of a geothermal heating and cooling system for an affordable housing project.  This raised inquiries into whether the Falls Church Housing Corporation (“FCHC”) had already committed to include a geothermal system in the planned City Center South Apartments (“CCSA”), which presumably would make it an inappropriate beneficiary of federal stimulus monies, because stimulus funds are intended to encourage activity which otherwise would not occur. 

An FCHC presentation of November 2008, which still appears here on the City website, indicates that CCSA will include a geothermal system, but Assistant City Manager Cindy Mester noted that the geothermal system was not a part of the legal requirements for CCSA, and Housing Corporation official Carol Jackson indicated that the previous documents are not accurate due to subsequent changes in the project.  

With the City Council’s support, the next step for the proposal will be submission to the U.S. Department of Energy on June 30.

Crosswalk at Penn. Ave & Broad? 7th Graders Influence City

By ANNETTE HENNESSEY
Falls Church Times Staff

Eight 7th grade students from Rory Dippold’s class at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School will represent Virginia at the Project Citizen National Showcase in Philadelphia, PA on July 21 – 24th. Project Citizen is a federally funded program that encourages students to research a public policy they believe should be revised or created. It also teaches young people how to monitor and influence public policy.

The class’s project titled “Walking Our Way to Safety” identified the need for a crosswalk to be located on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Broad Street. Students conducted research to determine the scope of the problem by researching pedestrian accidents in the city and by counting jaywalkers at the intersection on a Saturday in March. They identified alternative policies and examined the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and determined that a crosswalk would be the best solution. They presented their research to the Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Transportation in April, spoke to a Planning Commission member, and created a website as ways to mobilize and inform people about their project. Government officials have said they will look into a possible crosswalk at that intersection.

So not only were the students successful in the regional and state competitions, they learned firsthand how to voice concerns in their local community by conducting research and contacting appropriate government officials.

Special thanks to Rory Dippold for the photos and information for the story.

OPINION: Green Lab Proposal Requires Due Diligence

Read more

FOOD: Miss Four Sisters? One’s Still Here at Song Quê Deli

For the Falls Church foodie, the Eden Center is a treasure trove of outstanding Vietnamese food.  It’s a place we are lucky to have, and warrants, in my estimation, weekly exploration.  

As great as some of the restaurants are, I’ve found that some of the best eating to be had is in the bakeries and delis that dot the always-buzzing shopping center.  And few are more charming and welcoming than Song Quê.

The deli is bigger and better than ever, having moved into the old space left by the famed Four Sisters Restaurant (now in Merrifield), which is owned by the same family. What was once a claustrophobic pile-up of prepared foods and a cash register is now a sunny, spacious café with tables and a flat screen TV in the back.  Thankfully, the friendly staff doesn’t appear to have changed much at all.  They are still accommodating and always happy to dish out samples or steer you towards their favorite items.

The stars of the many offerings at Song Quê are the banh mi – sandwiches with a Southeast Asian twist that are the tasty result of France’s occupation of Vietnam.  They pair an airy, buttered baguette with a choice of meat, pickled carrots and daikon radishes, jalapenos, cilantro, and cucumbers.  It sounds like a mouthful, but the subs are manageably sized and not overstuffed.  They’re also a steal at $3.25 a pop.  Many of the variations come with pate or other uniquely textured and flavored meats, but for a first-timer I’d stick with the salty-sweet, fish sauce-tinged grilled chicken or pork. 

To go with the sandwich there’s a refrigerator case of young coconut juice and other quenching cold drinks, but for a true Song Quê experience there’s really only one option: bubble tea.  The smoothie-like beverage seems like the brainchild of Willy Wonka, but it was actually invented in Taiwan in the early 1980s.  Since then it has spread throughout Asia and of late has become trendy stateside. 

Bubble tea differentiates itself from other drinks because of its wide-ranging flavors — durian, taro, jackfruit, and red bean are some the funky options at Song Quê — and the giant tapioca balls that sit at the bottom of the drink and are meant to be slurped up and chewed like gummy bears. 

I had a bubble tea once — a long, long time ago — and I didn’t enjoy it.   I ordered a coconut bubble tea on my last visit to Song Quê see if my tastes have changed.  They haven’t.  Don’t get me wrong, the coconut slushy part of the smoothie was delicious, like liquefied coconut sorbet.  But the sensation of having marble-sized tapioca balls streaming into my mouth while I drink is simply not something I enjoy.  Every time I wanted to savor the delicious coconut slushiness, I found myself having to chew and chew and chew.  I guess I just don’t get eating and drinking simultaneously. 

So, while I’d encourage anyone to try a bubble tea with the tapioca for the sheer fun of it, in the future I’ll be taking mine sans the gooey marbles (which you can do for any flavor — just ask the cashier to leave them out).

As in any good deli there are many other treats beyond the sandwiches and drinks.  Especially tempting is the hot bar next to the register, which features eight or so trays of mostly tofu-based delicacies.  Ask the woman behind the counter for a recommendation and she’ll likely hand you a generous free sample of the popular lemongrass and chili marinated tofu.  Though odd-textured it is addictively spicy and salty, and the perfect foil for simply steamed jasmine rice. 

Other yummy options line a long table that cuts through the middle of the cafe.  I like to make a few laps around and pick out something different every time I go.  It’s exhilarating to be within arms reach of so many new and different foods.  There are exotic fruits, prepared savory dishes that usually involve meat, rice, herbs, and fish sauce, and mounds of sweet rice desserts, custards and gelatinous steamed rice flour sweets. 

Sometimes I strike gold, like with the banh cuon, a series of delicate rice flour crepes stuffed with ground pork, topped with fried shallots, and served with a container of sweet fish sauce dip.  Other snacks, like the too eggy coconut custards and the off-tasting steamed buns with pork and sausage, are forgettable. But the few missteps in the kitchen are forgivable when the dishes range between two and four dollars and there are so many choices to be had.

On my last visit I almost bought a strange looking spiky fruit that I’d never seen before.  At the last minute I decided against it.  Since then, it’s been beckoning me to go back.  Perhaps it’s some gross-tasting, pungently sour cousin of the pineapple.  Or maybe it’s the best thing ever. Who knows? I’m just glad that in our tiny City we have regular access to a real deal Vietnamese deli where such mysteries can be explored.

And, of course, I’ll always have my banh mi and tapioca-less bubble tea to fall back on.

Falls Church Times photos by George Southern and Patricia Collins.

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