March 2 - 8, 2023
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d e d 1991 • V ol. XXXIII No. 3
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
School Board Unanimous In Budget Request
ARTS ARE ALIVE IN F.C.
Ball Now in Shields’ FY24 Budget Court by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
The Falls Church School Board’s unanimous approval Tuesday night of its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024, includes a provision that makes the Falls Church Public Schools the first in the commonwealth of Virginia to offer paid parental leave. That proposed budget now goes to Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields who will wrap it into his overall budget recommendation for the coming fiscal year that he will present later this month, and that the City Council will then vote on at the end of April. The School Board budget proposal complies with the City Council’s guidance to limit growth to 4.2 percent, down from last year’s 8.4 percent, and it marks the fifth consecutive year the School Board has held its budget request to within such City Council guidance. The approved budget calls for
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THIS MASSIVE NEW MURAL, the creation of Streetsense, graces the back of Founder’s Row 1 as seen from the 900 block of Park Avenue in downtown Falls Church. (News-Press photo)
Falls Church Democrats’ Chief Hails Saslaw’s Career
by Cindy Cunningham
[Ed. Note: The following is written by the current chair of the Falls Church City Democratic Committee on the retirement announcement of State Sen. Dick Saslaw, who represents Falls Church in Richmond]. “Sooner or later you’ve got
to realize that it’s time to move on. But it’s been a great fortyeight years…I can’t tell you how great it’s been. And I’ve been given a fabulous opportunity by the people…and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here over the last forty-some years.” With that, Senate Democratic Majority Leader Dick Saslaw,
who represents the City of Falls Church, announced the end of his legendary General Assembly career on the floor of the Senate last Thursday. Saslaw was first elected to office in 1976. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates for four years until being elected to the Senate in 1980, where
he has served since. His peers chose him as Floor Leader in 1996, and he has been chosen as Majority or Minority Leader every session since 1998. He chairs the Commerce and Labor committee, and serves on numerous other committees.
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Inside This Week 2023 Spring Arts Issue FCNP’s Spring Arts issue is here! Take a look at various articles about cover/tribute bands, spring musicals/shows and a roundup on local events one can partake in to enjoy the arts! See Pages 7-14
Arts
Preview
Index
News Briefs...............................................2 Comment................... ..................5,6,15,21 Editorial......................................................6 Crime Report...........................................15 News & Notes.........................................16 School News...........................................17 Calendar.............................................18,19 Classifieds...............................................20 Business News.......................................21