New Voter Registration Cards Coming Soon

By DAVID B. BJERKE
General Registrar

October 26, 2011

Voters in districts that have been affected by changes due to redistricting will soon receive new voter registration cards.

The new voter registration cards reflect the changes that the Virginia General Assembly passed regarding the decennial redistricting process.  Specifically, the whole of the City of Falls Church has been redistricted into State Senate District 35 (previously in 31).  When you receive your new voter registration card you may destroy your old voter registration card.  This change will not affect your polling place or where you vote if you registered to vote in the City of Falls Church.

Questions?

City of Falls Church
Office of Voter Registration & Elections
300 Park Ave., Room 101E
Falls Church, VA  22046

703-248-5085
ote@fallschurchva.gov
http://www.fallschurchva.gov/vote

City Recognized as Certified Green Government

By CITY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

October 26, 2011

The City of Falls Church has been recognized for the fourth year in a row as a Virginia “Certified Green Government” for successfully implementing environmental policies and taking practical actions to reduce carbon emissions.  The Green Government certification is part of the Virginia Municipal League’s Green Government Challenge.

Local governments who received the recognition earned “green points” by implementing or adopting up to 30 policies and actions from 11 categories ranging from energy efficiency and green buildings to land-use and innovation.  Amassing between 100 and 124 “green points” out of a possible 200 earned certification as a “Green Government.”

Twenty-five cities, towns and counties participated in the 2011 Green Government Challenge.  And of those 25, 20 achieved the minimum score of 100 “green points” that was necessary for certification as a “VML Green Government.”

The certificates and awards were presented at the VML Annual Conference in Henrico County on Oct. 4.

Crime Report for October 18 – 24

By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT

October 25, 2011

NOTE: This report is not a definitive list of all criminal activity and is subject to change upon investigation.

Shoplifiting, 167 Hillwood Ave. (ABC Store).  On Oct. 18, an employee reported two unknown suspects stole a bottle of Vodka on Oct. 10.

Narcotics Violations, 100 block Chanel Terr.  On Oct. 19, officers responded to the area for a report of suspicious activity.  A 21 year old City of Falls Church man, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana.  A 39 year old Lynchburg man was arrested for Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute.

Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block E. Fairfax St. O n Oct. 20, license plates were stolen from the victim’s vehicle sometime after Oct. 16.

Driving Under the Influence and Liquor Law Violations, 400 block E Broad St.  On Oct. 21, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 20 year old Falls Church man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.  A passenger, a 19 year old Falls Church woman, was arrested for Underage Possession of Alcohol.  Another passenger, a 26 year old Arlington man, was arrested for Purchasing Alcohol for Persons Under 21 Years of Age.

Driving Under the Influence, 300 block E. Broad St.  On Oct. 22, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 32 year old Arlington man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Simple Assault, 6763-R1 Wilson Blvd. (Planet Fitness),  On Oct. 22, two unknown suspect(s) assaulted the victim during a fight in the parking lot.

Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block N. Oak St.  On Oct. 22, an unknown suspect(s) ransacked the victim’s vehicle and stole a GPS device and a phone charger.

Driving Under the Influence, Disorderly Conduct, and Resisting Arrest, 1000 block W. Broad St.  On Oct. 22, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 43 year old Fairfax man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.  The passenger, a 43 year old Falls Church man, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest.

Public Drunkenness, 900 block W. Broad St.  On Oct. 23, a 21 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Public Drunkenness.

Littering, 6700 block Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center).  On Oct. 24, a 46 year old Silver Spring, MD man,  was arrested for Littering.

Driving Under the Influence, 1100 block W. Broad St.  On Oct. 24, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  A 27 year old Hyattsville, MD man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

THURSDAY 10/27: Free cartooning workshop with Kevin Rechin

Learn from a Pro! This October 27th. 7 – 9:30 pm at ArtSPACE Falls Church.

Please register by e.mail info@fallschurcharts.org to reserve your space, space is limited(street parking and in retail spots in Pearson Square Parking lot).

All ages, please bring drawing materials of your choice.

Kevin Rechin is a local cartoonist whose work, frequently for commercial clients, often falls under the radar. A few years ago, he did drawings for the D.C. Lottery of the Nationals baseball players; they were blown up to life size and displayed in the Navy Yard Metro station by the ballpark. Rechin appeared very briefly on ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition, where he designed and illustrated a superhero room for two young boys. “I basically designed and painted a mural of a cityscape with caricatures of each kid as a superhero incorporated into the scene and also designed personal superhero logos for each kid. These were embroidered on capes for customized costumes and used as decals on a cool car bed built for the show. That’s basically it. Keep in mind I had 4 days to come up with the design, get it approved and then had from about 4 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. the next day to do the whole room with the help of a couple more people. Needless to say it was an all-nighter! Everything done for that show is done for free or as a donation.”

Kevin is a member of Falls Church Arts and has an exhibit of his work at ArtSpace as part of the Falls Church Arts, ArtWORKS series. Kevin is a native of Northern Virginia and lives in Falls Church. He has done work for the Time magazine, Smithsonian, National Geographic, and the Wall Street Journal. Children would probably know his work from Disney Adventures or packages that he had done for Hasbro, and his work in illustrating Klutz books.

 

City Council Extends CDC Lease for Two Years,
Continues Review of Stormwater Problems

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

October 24, 2011

The Falls Church City Council this evening approved a resolution authorizing a two year extension of the lease for the Child Development Center (CDC).  The new term will extend until November 30, 2013 at a rate of $3,000 per month.

The Council’s debate followed a 40 minute closed session, during which members thrashed out unresolved issues concerning the lease.  Draft documents issued to the media prior to the meeting had indicated that the rent would be much higher.

The City-owned facility has been leased to Easter Seals for $1.00 per year since 1961.  The current 25 year term ends on November 11.  At several prior Council meetings many parents of children attending the CDC had implored officials to extend the lease, since there are few other options for day care in the area.

After brief discussion, the resolution passed, 4-1, with Councilmen Gardner and Peppe absent.  Councilman Ira Kaylin cast the sole negative vote.

Kaylin, who spent many years of his federal career in risk management, said that the relationship between Easter Seals of the Greater Washington-Baltimore region and the CDC is not transparent.  “I have never agreed to a financial proposal until I have understood it,” said Kaylin.  “This is going to be voted on, and no doubt approved, prior to us having a clear understanding of where and how the money flows and I find that extremely difficult to go along with.”

CDC parents expressed their appreciation when it became clear that the Council was leaning toward extending the lease.  ”It seems like the City has been taking a lot of lumps lately,” said Stuart Rubin.  “I feel a vote in favor [of the extension] is a win for the City, the Council, and CDC.”

Mayor Nader Baroukh said the process had been arduous and that the terms of the lease are not necessarily ideal, but that both sides had worked very hard to find a middle ground.  “There are a variety of things that we have to balance,” said the mayor.  “I want to be clear the schools have an interest in the property.  I hope we will have a resolution during our budget and CIP process.”

City Manager Wyatt Shields confirmed that the school system has formally expressed their continued interest in the CDC, as recently as last weekend.

Response to Stormwater Town Hall Meeting

Shields encouraged all residents to view the entire video of the October 17 town hall, which is available on the City website.

The city manager described the problem as having two tracks.  One is the issue of the stormwater backflow into the sanitary sewer, which should not be happening.  He said that the City needs to identify where this occurs and take measures to prevent it.

Shields termed the other issue as “classic stormwater management”; i.e., systemic problems not involving the sewers,.  He said that the good news is that the City is well advanced on its watershed management plan, which should be ready by December.  However, a major unresolved policy question is the impact of federal mandates regarding Chesapeake Bay, which he termed a huge state and region-wide issue.

As more data is necessary a survey is being developed for residents to report problems they encountered during the September 8 flood.

Shields and the Council agreed that solutions to Falls Church’s stormwater problems will be expensive.  He said that a higher property tax or a dedicated funding stream through a stormwater utility would be required.  The councilmen leaned toward the second alternative.

The only funds immediately available for stormwater improvements are through a $1.7 million federal grant for improvements on the Pearson and Coe branches of Tripps Run.  Shields said such work should help some of the residents on Sherrow Avenue.

Other Business

The city manager advised that leaf collection is now underway.  Crews currently are working north of Broad St. and will shift to the south side next week.  There are three pickups for each side of town.  The full schedule is available on the City’s website.  He asked that residents keep brush away from the leaf piles.

Shields endorsed the City’s mentoring program, noting that adults can work with youth who could use additional support.   Those interested should contac Jessica Reyes at 703-219-2106.

At the city manager’s request the Council voted unanimously to defer action on a resolution to adopt the Northern Virginia Regional Water Supply Plan, the primary purpose of which is to ensure adequate and safe drinking water.  Shields suggested the Council wait until November 28 to allow time to review the final draft of the plan.  Vice Mayor Dave Snyder asked that the staff determine how many hours were devoted to responding to what he termed ” a classic no compensation mandate that makes absolutely no sense, considering the condition of the region.”

Consent Items

The Council passed a motion authorizing the city manager to award a contract to National Asphalt Manufacturing Corporation for the purchase of liquid asphalt hot mix as required for road repairs and maintenance.  The total FY 2012 expenditures will not exceed $200,000.

The Council approved the following appointments:

Andrew Curtin to the Falls Church Cable Access Advisory Board to a term ending October 31, 2014.
Lori LaFave to an unexpired term on the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board ending August 31, 2014.
Addison Heard to an unexpired term on the  Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Transportation ending Jaunary 31, 2012.

The following persons were reappointed to their respective positions:

Jerome Barrett to the City Employee Review Board to a term ending October 31, 2014.
Justin Berg to the Economic Development Authority to a term ending November 30, 2014.

New Grant Awarded to Creative Cauldron

FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

Creative Cauldron was recently chosen as one of 42 non-profit organizations to receive a 2012 General Operating Support Grant from the Arts Council of Fairfax County. The grants recognize artistic excellence and are given to organizations to maintain stability and encourage the development and advancement of the arts while serving the artistic and cultural needs of residents and their families. Creative Cauldron received a matching grant award of $19,802 that will be used to support its celebratory 10^th anniversary season of performances, classes and programs.

Creative Cauldron has opened its 2011-2012 performance season with a stunning professional production of Nevermore, an original musical written by Matt Conner from the life and writings of Edgar Allan Poe, that is garnering critical raves for its performers and musical score. “Actor Sean Thompson captures Poe’s internal struggle with remarkable focus and intensity” praised Monica Boland, Patch.com.  Susan Galbraith from DC Theatre Scene stated: “Conner’s ear as a composer suits the gothic genre of early 19^th century literature.  He conjures up a great sense of atmosphere, incorporating suggestions of a clock ticking, the eerie twistings and rustlings, the plaintive strings, and bells in his score.”

The final weekend of performances of Nevermore is October 28 – 30 with shows at 8 pm Friday, 2 pm on Saturday, and 6 pm on Sunday.  Tickets are $25 for adults and $22 students/seniors and can be ordered in advance online at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 571-239-5288. Creative Cauldron is located at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue.

Saturday night, October 29, Nevermore is the centerpiece of The Dead Poets Soiree, a fundraising event for Creative Cauldron.  The event includes a reception before the show catered by Pizzeria Orso and an after-show party with the cast that includes “deadly desserts” by Kendall’s Cakes.  Tickets for The Dead Poets Soiree are $100 each or $175 per couple and can be purchased at www.creativecauldron.org A limited number of tickets remain for this benefit event.

FRIDAY 10/28: Get your order in for the ’11 Christmas Ornament

ALL proceeds benefit

The George Mason High School All Night Graduation Celebration

Please help the GMHS PTSA provide a safe and memorable graduation night for our 2012 GMHS senior class. Your purchase helps us meet our goal and brings holiday cheer and tradition to your tree.

White House ornaments make great gifts. The students of the Class of 2012 thank you for your support!!!

For more in formation:

http://georgemasonptsa.com/uploads/WHO_flyer_2011.pdf

 

TUESDAY 10/25: Community Conversation on Election Referendum

For the first time in their history the two oldest civic organizations in Falls Church, Citizens for a Better City and The Village Preservation and Improvement Society, have banded together to bring awareness to the important Election Date Change Referendum on the ballot in this Little City on November 8th!

Please join CBC & VPIS for a Community Conversation 7:30 PM

Tuesday, October 25th

The George Mason High School Library

A short presentation on the voting history in Falls Church and of the referendum will kick off the discussions.

VPIS and CBC want this referendum – whatever the outcome – decided by a majority of Falls Church voters. Please vote Nov 8th

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