The History of Citizens for a Better City – Part 1

Prepared by The CBC History Committee:   Pete Behr, Betty Blystone, Carol DeLong, Sally Phillips, Edie Smolinski, and Ed Strait.

Citizens for a Better City has been at the center of local political life in Falls Church for a half century.  This article, the first of three, is excerpted from a history of the organization prepared for CBC’s 50th anniversary celebration.  It is based on an earlier CBC history by the late Wayne Dexter, updated by a CBC history committee.

Falls Church, a quiet crossroads village of 2,576 in 1940, was notable mainly for its historic Falls Church and the two major highways that intersect at its heart.  Though  English settlement began in 1699, it was not incorporated as a town until 1875. At the beginning of World War II, the town was in Fairfax County and its schools were part of the Fairfax County system.  The county was controlled politically by the then-dominant Byrd organization.

Burgeoning population -  it almost tripled during the 1940s – placed heavy burdens on the town’s schools, streets and roads, drainage, garbage collection, and other city services. Newcomers drawn to the city during the war generally demanded higher quality educational and municipal services than was customary in rural Virginia.  They were willing to pay the taxes and float the bonds necessary to finance them.  This was strongly opposed by many of the native residents long used to low taxes, minimum services, and pay-as-you-go fiscal policies.

Along with better schools, the new residents felt an equally compelling need for more control over the city’s future growth than was possible under a town form of government. Many had come to Falls Church because of its “village atmosphere.”  They were resolved to keep it that way. Read more

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We at the Falls Church Times are thankful to be a part of a great community, full of smart, engaging, warm and caring people.  We appreciate everyone who has taken time to read our stories and share information with us this year, and we wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.

‘Scouting for Food’ Around the Holidays

By Steven Valley

Members of Falls Church City Boy Scout Troop 349 spent recent Saturdays distributing bags and picking up donated food items for the annual Scouting for Food drive. The troop, along with Troop 895 and Cub Scout Pack 657, brought the donations to the Columbia Baptist Church food bank here in the city. The two Boy Scout troops and the Cub Scout pack collected a combined total of 6,353 lbs of non-perishable food items for this yearly effort

Scouting for Food is a nationwide event taking place annually in November.  In the George Mason District, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts fan out across the area on two consecutive Saturdays. On the first Saturday the scouts hand out bags donated by Safeway with a description of what Scouting for Food is about and how individuals can participate. On the following Saturday, these same scouts return to their areas and collect the bags of food that have been left out for pick-up. Read more

Arrest Made, More Expected As FCPD Investigates Larcenies

The Falls Church Police Department is investigating a series of larcenies from vehicles and three stolen vehicles which have occurred throughout the City over the past few weeks.   One arrest has been made, but more arrests are expected.  Similar crimes have been committed even after the initial arrest, and the Police investigation continues.

In the month of November 2009, there have been 30 reported incidents in the City in which vehicles have been entered and items stolen from the interior.  All of these case have involved unlocked vehicles.  In the stolen car cases, keys were left inside each time.  The vehicles victimized generally have been clustered around East and West Falls Church Metro Station neighborhoods. 

The Police Department strongly encourages residents to lock all vehicles and keep valuable items out of sight and/or out of vehicles.  During the holiday season, it is especially important to ensure that all holiday gifts and items of value are secure and not visible from the outside of a vehicle or a home.  

The Falls Church Police Department is working in cooperation with Metro Transit Police, Arlington County Police, Metropolitan Washington D.C. Police, Town of Vienna Police, and Fairfax County Police, who are all reporting a similar pattern of larcenies.

The best defense is to secure vehicles and homes and call the police if you see or hear anything suspicious.   The Falls Church Police Department’s emergency number is 703-241-5050.

MAN ABOUT TOWN: ‘Friending’ the Mayor on Facebook

By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Falls Church Times Staff

November 25, 2009

I’m learning about Facebook, to my peril. My children all have Facebook pages, and once or twice I showed interest in them. If my daughters had been kind, and paraphrased the Trix commercial, they could have just replied, “Silly man – Facebook is for kids.” Instead, they expressed in graphic terms that the mere idea of a man over 30 reading Facebook was about the ickiest, creepiest thing imaginable.

But at the City Council meeting Monday night, I learned that Facebook now reflects the heartbeat of the City. Specifically, it’s a key policy formulation resource for our Mayor, who, during the debate over moving City elections from May to November, read to Council the comments from 10 of her Facebook Friends.

So as a journalist, I feel impelled to join Facebook, no matter what the cost to my daughters’ parental esteem. And I have asked our Mayor to be my Friend.

I don’t think that’s asking too much. She has 391 other Facebook Friends, so what’s one more Friend among friends? And besides – that list of 391 includes the editor/publisher/owner of the Falls Church News-Press. Doesn’t the Falls Church Times deserve equal access? Read more

CITY FOCUS: Thanksgiving Reenactment, Craft Show, Holiday Trash Pickup, Leaf Collection

Click to read the CITY FOCUS for Nov. 26-Dec. 2, produced by the City of Falls Church.

SCHOOLS FOCUS: Mt. Daniel Math Night; Mustang Scholastic Bowl; Band Boosters Coffee Sale; MaryBeth Connelly; Quinn’s Auction; Science Curriculum Study

Click here to read the SCHOOLS FOCUS for Nov. 26-Dec. 2, produced by Falls Church City Public Schools.

VIDEO: The Mayor Reads Her Facebook

After Falls Church residents addressing the Nov. 23 City Council meeting spoke overwhelmingly in opposition to a draft ordinance that would move City elections from May to November, Mayor Robin Gardner countered by reading numerous comments on the subject from some of her Facebook friends whom she had asked. All of her friends were in favor of moving the election date.

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