SCHOOLS FOCUS: Scholastic Bowl Champs, Elementary School Hours Adjusted, Budget Forum on FCC-TV, Music Man at MEH, New FCEF Board Members Announced

Click here to read the February 25 – March 3, 2010 SCHOOLS FOCUS prepared by the Falls Church City Schools.

CITY FOCUS: Eat Pancakes to help Library, Falls Church City All-Star Basketball Game Friday, How to Report Potholes and Submit Budget Suggestions

Click here to read the February 25 – March 3, 2010 CITY FOCUS prepared by the City of Falls Church.

VIDEO: Fox 5 Reports on Soccer Team Trip to South Africa

February 24, 2010

Last month the Falls Church Times reported that a local U12 girls soccer team had won an international dance competition and an all-expense-paid trip to tour South Africa and see the World Cup. The story continues to be read and generate comments from soccer fans all over the world.

Now Fox 5 television has filmed a nice interview with the team, viewable below. However, Fox didn’t have time to show the full award-winning dance video as performed by the girls of Premier AC’s 97 Fusion. But we do! Click here to see our original story and the fantastic video.

Congratulations again to the girls of Premier AC’s 97 Fusion!

USA Today ‘Green Home’ Writer Gets Input on Color, Siding

February 24, 2010

Here are links to the latest two installments by Wendy Koch in her USA Today column as she details the saga of constructing a “green” home on North Virginia Avenue. On February 20 she wrote, “We submitted our grading and construction plans in January to the city of Falls Church, Va., where we’re building, and are waiting – increasingly impatient, I’ll admit — for our permits. We hope to break ground next month.” Read more

Mason Students Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists

February 24, 2010

Three George Mason High School students have earned national recognition as National Merit Scholarship finalists.  Kelley Frank, Hannah Gann, and Noam Terman recently received letters notifying them that they are among an elite group of students nationwide who are eligible to compete for the prestigious academic scholarships.  All were recognized during morning announcements at George Mason High School. At right are Kelley, Noam, and Hannah, backed by Principal Tyrone Byrd and guidance counselor Amy Kurjanowicz. (Photo by FCCPS Communications)

Shields Reports on City’s Response to Blizzards

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

February 24, 2010

At Monday night’s City Council meeting, City Manager Wyatt Shields summarized Falls Church’s response to February’s record snowfall.

Calling the recent events “an extremely expensive storm,” Mr. Shields stated that the City had submitted a request for $260,000 to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM).  Falls Church is eligible for 75% reimbursement of costs incurred.  The City’s total request, including that for the December storm, is for $330,000.

The latest storms dropped a total of 32 inches of snow on Falls Church, 22 inches on February 5-6 and 10 inches more on February 10.  The December storm left approximately 20 inches.

In his discussion of the February storms, Mr. Shields explained that workers first “pre-treated” every street in the City.  Once 2 inches had fallen, they began to “push snow off” snow emergency routes first.  When the snow stopped and the snow emergency streets were clear, they began plowing residential streets.

“In both events, we were able to get a plow on every street in the City within 24 hours of the cessation of snowfall.  We had our streets clear before traffic packed them down and we opened our school system earlier than any other jurisdiction in Northern Virginia or the Capital region,” he said.

Mr. Shields noted that City Hall was closed for three days due to concern for the safety of employees getting to and from work, and to assist a regional effort in keeping traffic off the area’s roads.  However, work was still accomplished by people working from home computers.  “We got our Council and Planning Commission meeting packages out and the package on solid waste disposal,” he said.

Mr. Shields had high praise for the way City workers coped with the demands of the storm.  “I believe we did rise to the occasion.  We had employees sleeping in their trucks, sleeping in cots at the property yard, our public safety officers also stayed overnight.”

Calling their efforts “extraordinary,” he lauded the employees’ strong esprit d’corps and determination to complete the job.  The City Manager also credited outstanding leadership on the part of Director of Operations Robert Goff, General Manager of Community Services Howard Herman, and Public Safety officers Harry Reitze and Mary Gavin.

The request for reimbursement does not cover all of the costs incurred during the past weeks, only two 48-hour blocks of time during the height of the February storms.  Additional costs include the loss of slate off of the roof of City Hall and many of the building’s gutters.

Mr. Shields noted there is reason for concern regarding the reimbursement.  “We haven’t heard a word back from VDEM with respect to our submissions on the December storm, which were submitted in early January.”  Vice Mayor Hal Lippman offered to lobby for these funds when he attends the next meeting of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

After noting that the City crews had done an amazing job, Councilman Dan Maller raised the issue of commercial sidewalk clearance.  He suggested that at some point Falls Church might have to take an approach similar to the one it has opted for toward graffiti, where owners who do not promptly remove the defacings are billed by the City for the work.  Mr. Shields stated that the City had issued 19 warnings for failure to clear sidewalks, with “violations behind them.”

WATER WAR: City Will Make Revised Offer to Fairfax County

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

February 23, 2010

Last night the Falls Church City Council met in closed session for 40 minutes to discuss the ongoing litigation with the Fairfax County Water Authority.  After the session the Council unanimously approved a motion by Vice Mayor Lippman and seconded by Councilman Dave Snyder to instruct City Attorney John Foster, in consultation with the firm of Reed Smith, to respond to the counter-offer made by Fairfax Water and to make a revised offer to resolve the case.

The current trial, which involves three counts against the City, began on February 1.  Proceedings were recessed on February 4 to allow the parties to pursue settlement negotiations.  If accord is not reached, the trial will resume in Fairfax Circuit Court before Judge R. Terrence Ney on Monday, March 1.

Falls Church City is appealing the ruling on a fourth count in the case, which was handed down in January.

Crime Report for February 16–22

February 23, 2010

Burglary, Residential, 500 blk. Meridian St., February 17, between 6:45 a.m. and 10:20 p.m.  Unknown person(s) entered into an unoccupied dwelling and stole a 32” LCD TV and a pair of Cowboy Boots.  Incident to the case, the suspect(s) also stole a black 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle, 100 blk. Gresham Pl., February 18, 4:50 a.m.  Police recovered a stolen 1992 Honda Civic from Prince William County.

Drunkenness, 200 blk. Douglas Ave., February 18, 6:04 p.m.  Police arrested a 59 year old man of NO FIXED ADDRESS for DIP.

Burglary, Residential, 100 blk. W George Mason Rd., between February 18, 6:30 p.m. and February 19, 6:58 a.m.  Unknown person(s) entered an unoccupied dwelling and stole numerous tools and equipment.

Larceny, Shoplifting, Giant Food, 1230 W Broad St., February 18, 12:58 p.m.  Police arrested a 40 year old Annandale man for Felony Shoplifting and Driving Habitual Offender.  Incident to the case, police arrested a 41 year old Falls Church man for Misdemeanor Assault and Felony Shoplifting.

Larceny, Shoplifting, Anime Pavilion, 115 Hillwood Ave., February 19, 8:36 p.m.  Unknown person(s) entered the establishment and stole (2) tins of Yugioh trading cards totaling $30.

Driving under the Influence, 900 blk. W Broad St., February 20, 1:20 a.m.  Police arrested a 20 year old Virginia man for DUI, Refusal and Underage Possession of Alcohol.

Larceny from Building, H&R Block, 356 W Broad St., February 18, between 3:40 p.m. and 9:25 p.m.  Unknown person(s) stole $245 cash.

Destruction of Property, Falls Church Public Schools, 7124 Leesburg Pike, between February 20, 5:30 p.m. and February 21, 2:32 p.m. Unknown person(s) flattened the tires on (8) school buses.

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