JULY 9 - 15, 2026 Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXVI N o . 22
Northern Virginia’s Newspaper
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
‘Democracy Thrives In Sunshine’
Downtown AMERICA CELEBRATES 250 ‘Sips’ Event Hailed as Huge Hit More Communitywide Gatherings Now Set by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
At its July meeting this week, the City of Falls Church’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) was upbeat in its evaluation of the recent “Little City Sips” sip-andstroll pilot event that drew over 4,300 citizens to a two-and-ahalf hour event in the City’s downtown last month. “It was the perfect amount of people and had a very positive outcome,” said EDA Chair Ross Litkenhous. At its peak around 8 p.m. on June 13, the event attracted 2,800 people into the narrow area of downtown bounded by N. Washington, W. Broad, Maple Street, and Park Avenue. In that area, participants could carry their beverages outside
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Table Of Contents Business News Page 5 Editoral Page 6 Movie Review Pages 7 Best Of FC Pages 8-9 Calendar Page 11 Classads Page 12 Our Man In Arlington Page 13 Critter Corner Page 14
THE INDEPENDENCE DAY Remembrance event sponsored by the Village Improvement Society drew the largest attendance ever, with standing room only in the Historic Falls Church. The morning started with tours of the church that was originally established here 44 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Remembrance program and commentary change each year but always includes the reading of the Declaration of Independence. This year a garden party of ice cream and lemonade was added before the Falls Church Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, dedicated a tree in commemorations of the event. (Photo: Gary Mester)
Summer Safety Initiatives Shared by Local Committee
By the F.C. Transportation Advisory Committee
With school out for the summer, Falls Church City residents can expect to see more children and teenagers using the city’s streets, sidewalks, trails, and crosswalks. Whether
walking to a park, biking, or learning to drive, young residents will be sharing the road with motorists, cyclists, and visitors. Summer also brings increased landscaping activity, construction work, and fully leafed trees that can obstruct sightlines and reduce visibility.
The City is also launching its Shared Mobility Devices Pilot Program, which will introduce rental scooters throughout Falls Church City. These devices add another mode of transportation to an already busy network of roads and trails, requiring riders and drivers alike to remain
alert. With summer in full swing, the Falls Church City Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation (CACT) is encouraging residents to review the laws and safety
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