Crime Report for May 17 – 23
May 24, 2011 by (see byline) · 5 Comments
By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT
May 24, 2011
Public Drunkenness, 300 block W. Broad St. (Brookdale Shopping Center). On May 18, 10:42 p.m., officers responded to the area for a report of an intoxicated man harassing customers. A 43 year old man of no fixed address, was arrested for Public Drunkenness.
Driving Under the Influence, 6700 block Wilson Blvd. On May 18, 11:41 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation. A 37 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.
Assault and Battery, 803 W. Broad St. On May 19, 12:27 p.m., officers responded to the location for a report of an altercation between two individuals. A 19 year old Falls Church woman was arrested for Assault and Battery.
Defrauding an Innkeeper and Public Drunkenness, 132 W. Broad St. (Dogwood Tavern). On May 20, 1:38 a.m., an officer responded to the restaurant for a report of female refusing to pay her restaurant bill. The officer observed the individual was intoxicated. A 45 year old Montgomery Village, MD woman was arrested for Defrauding an Innkeeper and Public Drunkenness.
Graffiti, 809 W. Broad St. On May 20, 1:49 p.m., a sign in the parking lot was found with white lettering from spray paint.
Graffiti, 100 block Park Pl. On May 20, 6:53 p.m., an officer found five stickers on the back of a stop sign.
Larceny from Motor Vehicle, 7124 Leesburg Pike (George Mason High School). On May 20. 7:12 p.m., the victim reported the vehicle’s rear license plate stolen sometime after 7:30 a.m.
Driving Under the Influence, 917 W. Broad St. (El Zunzal). On May 21, 2:00 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation. A 44 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.
Driving Under the Influence, 1000 E. Broad St. On May 21, 10:41 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation. A 31 year old Jonesboro Craigh, AR man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.
Disorderly Conduct and Obstruction of Justice, 6757 Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center). On May 22, 12:04 a.m., officers responded to the area for a fight in progress. Officers observed a 33 year old Arlington man grabbing another individual. While an officer was detaining him, a 32 year old Washington, DC man screamed at an officer and removed the other man from the officer’s custody. The District man was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and Obstruction of Justice. Incident to the arrest, the Arlington man attempted to remove the other from the police cruiser. He was arrested for Disorderly Conduct.
Public Drunkenness, 100 block W. Annandale Rd. On May 22, 4:42 p.m., an officer observed an intoxicated woman walking unsteadily on the sidewalk. A 22 year old Woodbridge woman was arrested for Public Drunkenness.
Urinating In Public, 6757 Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center). On May 22, 9:39 p.m., an officer observed a man urinating in the parking lot in public view. A 40 year old Washington, DC man was arrested for Urinating In Public.
Public Drunkenness, 6795 Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center). On May 22, 10:31 p.m., an officer observed an intoxicated man. A 53 year old man of no fixed address was arrested for Public Drunkenness.
City Council Votes to Deny Water System Refund Claims
May 23, 2011 by George Bromley · 1 Comment
By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff
May 23, 2011
The Falls Church City Council voted unanimously this evening to deny all claims for refunds received from water system customers for alleged overcharges.
“For the City to make any payment of public funds to to a private party outside the bounds of established law and precedent would be irresponsible,” said Vice Mayor Dave Snyder. “The City has viable legitimate legal defenses to the claims of customers seeking refunds. It is the Council”s responsibliity to protect the City’s financial interests on behalf of its water utility rate payers and the taxpayers of the City, and this motion does that.”
The vice mayor stated that after discussing the matter with the city attorney and outside counsel, the Council has concluded that there are important issues involved that have not been addressed by the courts which have important implications for the financial management of the City and for public service utilities state-wide.
Snyder said that the refund requests stem from an incorrect reading of a January 2010 Fairfax Circuit Court ruling in the case of Fairfax County Water Authority vs. City of Falls Church. The ruling enjoined the City from transferring funds from its water fund to its general fund for purposes unrelated to its water system, including the management fee transfer for FY 09 and 10. However, that ruling did not call for refunds.
“The City disagrees with the ruling as it runs counter to the City Charter as adopted by the General Assembly and to established practice across the state,” said Snyder. “Nevertheless the City has complied with the ruling in all respects and remains in full compliance today.”
“Never assume anything other than that we put the highest priority on providing safe and reliable water to our customers on an equal basis, whether in the City or in the County,” concluded Snyder.
No other members commented on the motion, which was introduced by Councilman Ira Kaylin and seconded by Lawrence Webb. Following the vice mayor’s statement, the Council voted to approve, 6-0, with Councilman Ron Peppe absent.
Currently, there are several cases pending in court where plaintiffs have requested refunds of water utility charges from Falls Church. The City also has received letters from customers seeking refunds. In addition to Falls Church City, the water system serves a wide area of Fairfax County. Ninety-two percent of its customers are County residents.
Bee Documentary To Be Screened at ArtSpace
May 23, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
"Queen of the Sun" is a documentary about the global bee crisis. The film will be screened at 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 26 at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue. Tickets are $20 and all proceeds will benefit Creative Cauldron.
“The Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?” documentary film will be screened at 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 26 at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue. The film, directed by Taggart Siegel, gives an alternative look at the global bee crisis. Taking the audience on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, this engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk and Vandana Shiva. Together they reveal both the problems and the solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature.
There will be a pre-screening reception at 7 pm. Tickets are $20 and all proceeds will benefit Creative Cauldron, the nonprofit arts organization that is based at ArtSpace. Advance purchase may be made at www.creativecauldron.org.
ArtSpace is located at 410 S. Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square building. Free parking in the garages at 410 and 400 S. Maple Avenue.
CITY MEETINGS: May 23 – 27
May 23, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
Click on [Read More] to access links.
Monday 5/23: City Council. Council Chamber, 7:30 pm. Agenda and documents.
Tuesday 5/24: School Board Work Session. Council Chamber, 7:00 am.
Regular School Board Meeting. Council Chamber, 8:00 pm.
Wednesday 5/25: ESOL Advisory Committee. Central Office Conference Room, 800 W. Broad St., 6:30 pm.
Thursday 5/26: Community Forum on TJ Expansion/Renovation. Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Cafeteria, 7:00 pm.
Historic Architectural Review Board. Administrative Conference Room, 7:30 pm.
Friday 5/27: City Council Economic Development Committee. Oak Room, 7:30 am.
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. Meetings are held in City Hall, 300 Park Avenue, unless otherwise indicated.
Work Continues on City-wide Sidewalk Improvement Project
May 22, 2011 by Steven Valley · 26 Comments
Drivers May Experience Minor Traffic Delays, the project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Work is continuing on the City of Falls Church’s City-wide sidewalk improvement project. Work will be completed early next week on a stretch of west-bound West Broad Street that is causing temporary lane reductions. After West Broad Street is completed, the work will move to east-bound West Broad Street, followed by N. Washington Boulevard, depending on weather conditions and the remaining funds available. The project is fully funded by a $300,000 federal grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The goal of the project is to repair more than 500 locations with defects including cracks, heaves, and non-ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps. In December 2009, City staff conducted a condition assessment of sidewalks along the City’s main streets. The full length of each street segment was inspected and defects were inventoried using GPS equipment. Approximately 33,250 square feet of sidewalk needs to be replaced. The execution of the project will address all deficiencies noted in the 2009 inventory.
The ARRA grant is administered by City staff and overseen by VDOT. Sidewalk repair work is limited to existing sidewalks on collector and arterial roads within the City. The monies from this grant award cannot be used for other projects.
For more information, contact Jason Widstrom, Civil Engineer, at 703-248-5026 or jwidstrom@fallschurchva.gov.
Nothing says springtime in DC like Bike to Work Day!
May 22, 2011 by Steven Valley · Leave a Comment
By Paul Handly
Nothing says springtime in DC like Bike to Work Day. This special right of spring is a perennial favorite of the many avid cyclists in Falls Church City and today’s event was no different. Two peletons left the heart of Falls Church just after sunrise for a brisk ride down the W&OD and Custis trails to the Rosslyn pit stop where riders enjoyed the food, music and swag provided Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and its many partners supporting this increasingly popular event.
According to the WABA, nearly 10,000 cyclists visited the 49 pit stops peppered strategically throughout the region making this a record crowd. Though technically the event is meant to highlight the practical convenience of commuting by bike, several Falls Churchers found the lure of the open trail too much to bear, opting to extend their rides down to National Airport for a return ride home via the W&OD trail by Shirlington before going straight to work.
See you on the trail!
SAT & SUN 5/21-5/22: Peter Pan Comes to Falls Church
May 21, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
Take a high-flying adventure to Never Never Land with The Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet’s production of Peter Pan, a swashbuckling coming of age tale that pits Peter and the Lost Boys against Captain Hook and his outrageous band of pirates. A whimsical adventure told through vibrant dancing, Peter Pan is the story about growing up that never seems to grow old. Performances are Saturday, May 21 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm and Sunday, May 22 at 2:00pm, George Mason High School Theater, 7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Tickets are $25 at the door. Contact Carolanne O’Neil at coneil@westassoc1.com or 703-893-0404 ext. 217 or visit www.kintzmejiaballet.com.
SATURDAY 5/21: Falls Church Civil War Day
May 21, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · 3 Comments
Falls Church Civil War Day – A living history reenactment at Cherry Hill Park, 312 Park Ave. will include soldier firing and drilling exercises, a Civil War medical tent, spy stories, letter readings, children’s activities, tours of the farmhouse, live music and more. There will be a bus tour of local Civil War sites leaving at 10:15. For bus reservations, to reserve a box lunch, or get more information call 703-248-5171.
Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
