MARCH MADNESS: Inaugural Pick’em Tournament

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

March 12,  2010

It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce our first ever Falls Church Times March Madness Pick’em Tournament.

The annual NCAA Men’s basketball tournament is a whirlwind of an event that never fails to be thrilling and surprising.  Half the fun, of course, is filling out a bracket and following the progress of the teams you have playing into the late rounds.

There is no fee to enter a bracket in the tournament but there will be a first and second place prize!  In keeping with The Little City scope of our paper, we’ve decided on a $75 gift certificate to any restaurant in the City of Falls Church as the grand prize and a Falls Church Farmers Market Gift Basket as the runner-up prize.

The tournament will be 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).  Just remember that the tournament field won’t be announced until Sunday, March 14, so you’ll have to wait until then to make your picks.  And you’ll only have until Thursday, March 18, to make your selections, as that is the first day of tournament play.

If you have any questions or concerns contact Falls Church Times staffer Jimmy Scarano at jimmy.scarano@gmail.com.

Once again, to participate:

• Go to this website: http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joingroup
• Enter ID Number:  50125
• Use Password: fallschurchtimes.com

May the best bracket win.

Falls Church Arts Hosting Plein Air Demonstration

By GINA CACECI
Falls Church Times Staff

March 12, 2010

If you’ve ever wondered about what it takes to paint outside, but were afraid to ask, Falls Church Arts is hosting a discussion and demonstration about plein air painting that will answer your questions on Sunday, March 21, at 1:30 p.m. at ArtSpace, 410 S. Maple Avenue.  The fee is $5 for members of Falls Church Arts (FCA) and $10 for nonmembers, payable at the door.  Space is limited.  Register by email at info@fallschurcharts.org

Two award-winning plein air painters, Bill Abel and Denise Philipbar, will show and tell about the equipment and supplies needed to paint anywhere, especially outdoors. (Plein air is defined as the open air, especially the daylight of outdoors.)

After discussing plein air painting in general, Bill and Denise will break the group into two sections to demonstrate some of the specifics of plein air painting with watercolor (Abel) and oil/acrylic (Philipbar).The session is a good way to prepare for the Plein Air Festival that FCA is planning to hold later this spring.  For more information about the March 21 demonstration and the planned festival, check www.fallschurcharts.org

CITY MEETINGS: March 15-20

Monday 3/15:  City Council Work Session.  Training Center – G Level, 7:30 pm.  Agenda.

Planning Commission.  Council Chamber, 7:45 pm.  Agenda and documents.

Tuesday 3/16:  Historical Commission.  Administrative Conference Room, 7:30 pm.  Agenda.

Wednesday 3/17:  Senior Citizens Commission.  Administrative Conference Room, 4:00 pm.

Public Utilities Commission.  Administrative Conference Room, 6:30 pm.

Library Board of Trustees.  Mary Riley Styles Public Library Conference Room, 7:30 pm.  Agenda.

Tree Commission.  Training Center – G Level.  7:30 pm.

Thursday 3/18:  Long Range Financial Planning Working Group.  Library Conference Room, 7:00 pm.

Environmental Services Council.  Training Center – G Level, 7:30 pm.

City Council Budget Work Session.  Venue not stated, 7:30 pm.

Human Services Advisory Council.  CANCELLED.

Friday 3/19:  No meetings scheduled.

Saturday 3/20:  Town Hall Meeting.  Time TBA.

Meeting notices are obtained from the City and School Board on-line calendars and from the notice board at the east entrance of City Hall.  Meetings may be subject to re-scheduling or cancellation.