In general accordance with expectations, opening day enrollment in the Falls Church City Public School system was reported at 2,680. According to FCCPS spokesman John Brett, the number “is higher than this time last year, but under projections. However, it is still early as we are enrolling students every day and will be for the next few weeks.”
Opening day went swimmingly, a school spokesman told the News-Press , the first one for new Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade. Dade issued a statement about it all on Tuesday, which reads as follows:
“Yesterday marked an exciting milestone as we welcomed students back to Falls Church City Public Schools for the 2025-26 school year. Walking through our hallways and seeing the energy, curiosity, and joy on students’ faces reminded me
‘BE BRAVE’ RALLY
August 21 - 27, 2025 A RALLY AT MR. BROWN’S PARK in the 100 block of W. Broad urged passers by to “Be Brave” in standing for justice and democracy last Friday in an event at rush hour that touched thousands. The event was organized through a collaborative effort of two groups in Falls Church associated with the Indivisible nationwide Visibility Brigade movement, synchronized with similar efforts across the U.S. united by billboard drops from overpasses and other activities with the message, “Be Brave With Us, We’ll Stand With You.” (Photo: News-Press)
by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press
With the key role of Falls Church’s own U.S. Rep. Don Beyer in the lead of the overall effort as the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Fusion Caucus in 2021, Dominion Virginia Power has subsequently taken a notable, if carefully scoped, step toward nuclear fusion energy by entering into a collaboration with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the Massachusetts-based
MIT spinout developing fusion reactors, the News-Press has learned.
Announced on December 17, 2024, the agreement is a non-financial partnership in which Dominion provides development and technical expertise and grants CFS leasing rights to a Dominion-owned site in Chesterfield County, Virginia, where CFS plans to build its first commercial fusion power plant, called ARC. CFS, for its part, will independently finance, build, own, and operate the facility.
The Chesterfield project is the centerpiece of CFS’s strategy to move fusion from lab breakthrough to grid resource in the early 2030s.
The planned ARC plant is designed for roughly 400 megawatts of carbon-free electricity—enough to power around 150,000 homes— using high-temperature superconducting magnets to confine a deuterium-tritium plasma inside a compact tokamak.
If built and operated as envisioned, ARC would be the world’s
first grid-scale commercial fusion plant, sited at the James River Industrial Center with an existing grid interconnection advantage. For Dominion, hosting and co-developing at a familiar site reduces siting risk and positions the utility to gain hands-on experience with fusion plant development without committing ratepayer dollars to an unproven asset.
CFS’s path to ARC runs through
Our Man In Arlington
Bill Fogarty
“The Arlingtonians for Independent Action organization has called for the Arlington County Board to refrain from establishing a Fair Housing Board, saying it would pile futility atop fallacy.” I have taken this sentence not from today’s news, but from the August 9, 1968 Northern Virginia Sun newspaper. This piece of history turned my focus to that 1968 time period, as I continue with my “FrontPage History” series. Today we are looking at headlines from one week in August of 1968. Articles touched upon housing concerns; a possible gun control ordinance; the Vietnam War; the proposed Three Sisters Bridge over the Potomac; an anti-loitering ordinance; and a “racial play” written by a high school senior, who would end up becoming the Chief Judge in Arlington County in the 21st century.
Housing: The County Board had decided to create a Fair Housing Board that would receive and investigate housing discrimination complaints arising from its recent open housing law. The two Republicans on the Board opposed the law, and the creation of the Board. The Arlingtonians for Independent Action was a grassroots group that also preferred the status quo. The first appointed chair of the Fair Housing Board was Lucy Denney, who went on to have a remarkable 50 year career of civic engagement.
Gun Control: In 1968 Joe Wholey was a brash new candidate for a County Board seat. He made headlines with his platform that included a call for “tough gun laws” in his campaign. Wholey lost the election, but he won the 1970 election and served two terms during the 1970s, guiding Arlington through the transportation crises of the arrival of Metro and I-66. But no gun control laws were passed.
Three Sisters: Throughout the 1960s, there was a proposal to build a bridge across the Potomac River, from Foxhall Road in D.C., across the three tiny islands in the Potomac known as the “Three Sisters”, and then linking up with Spout Run Parkway, in order to connect with I-66. The newspaper articles described the opposition by Tom Richards,
County Board chair, contrasted with the support for the project by our State Senator Charles Fenwick. Richards won that fight.
Loitering: An anti-loitering law designed to disperse noisy, unruly groups at drive-in restaurants and other businesses was passed by the County Board. An ad hoc group of high school students unsuccessfully protested the proposal, complaining that the ordinance did not address the underlying problem: a lack of adequate teen center recreational facilities.
Vietnam War: There were numerous articles about the war, from the high-level view (peace talks held in Moscow), to the specific details of war (“U.S. B52 bombers dropped almost 1 million pounds of bombs in their first raids into North Vietnam in three weeks”). Meanwhile, Richard Nixon accepted the Republican presidential nomination, saying his first priority would be to bring an honorable end to the war.
“Original Racial Play Set for Rock Spring”: This headline promoted an experimental worship service to be held at Rock Spring Congregational Church, involving a play with “racial tensions,” written by high school senior Bill Newman. The play was presented up to the point of climax, and then stopped, with the 200 people at the service then divided into groups to discuss three possible endings for the play. That young playwright would become an Arlington lawyer, and then a judge, known to us as Judge William Newman (now retired).
The Editorials: There were two notable editorials written by Herman Obermayer on August 9, 1968. A short piece urged readers to support President Johnson’s efforts to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. No doubt the fact that 18-year-olds were getting killed in Vietnam played a big part in eventually getting the age lowered. And then there was a long and passionate plea to support the Fair Housing Board, with the acknowledgement that it was time to put an end to racist housing policies. Obermayer’s language was forceful and to the point, which I imagine must have antagonized the Arlingtonians for Independent Action.
The 1960s were interesting times, indeed.
Falls Church Business News & Notes
CityDance Open House and Audition
Saturday, August 23, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – CityDance in West Falls is hosting an Open House 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Students interested in our Studies program or Adult classes can take sample classes, enjoy light refreshments, and learn more about programs. RSVP here: https://forms.zohopublic.com/citydance/form/CityDanceFallsChurchGrandOpeningEvent/ formperma/Io4Oo27DvKLf6OaaMvrr49vOP_8RSCqV6lmZemQiC6s
Auditions will be held that afternoon 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. for students ages 10 – 18 interested in Pre-Professional programming at the Falls Church and Montgomery County locations. Register to Audition here: https://forms.zohopublic.com/citydance/ form/ConservatoryAuditionSatAug232025/formperma/oLSqtjvCcUtkY3BDnO4b9Gb8Cp9k5NEQcl9tCfF-b4k Email inquiry@citydance.net with any questions.
Employer Child Care Survey
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce are conducting a brief survey to better understand how childcare availability impacts on employers across the state. Employers are invited to take a short survey focused on (1) the effects of childcare challenges on workforce recruitment, retention, productivity and (2) employer strategies to support access to childcare for working families. Your input will directly inform policy recommendations aimed at strengthening Virginia’s childcare system, helping to address the labor shortage and ensure our state remains one of the best places in the nation to do business. Please complete the survey by August 20.
Psychic Saturday
The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment hosts Psychic Saturday on Saturday, August 23, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Visit the website to read background on the readers who are participating in this event (https://www.thecse.org). Guests may register in advance through the link or upon walking in.
Vocalist IO Performs Friday
Creative Cauldron presents vocalist iO in “The Art & Soul of Nina Simone” on Friday, August 22, 7:30 – 11:00 p.m. Noted for a voice and style often compared to legends like Tina Turner, Tracy Chapman, and Sarah Vaughan, this is an evening of jazz, soul, and rock. Her career spans sold-out solo performances across Europe and iconic stages like the Tate Modern in London and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Summer DMV Restaurant Week
The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is holding its annual Summer Restaurant Week now through August 24 across the region. Local participating restaurants with deals include Fava Pot, Trio Grill, Ellie Bird, 2941 Restaurant, Idylwood Grill and Wine Bar, and The Falls.
More Food News:
Local Matcha Makes the 5: Washington Magazine highlighted 5 new matcha spots in the region and Midori Tea House made the list. They offer matcha lattes and frappes made personally to your preferences, and special desserts.
One in 30: Washingtonian ’s recent quest for the best burgers in the region found one in Falls Church - the Cheeseburger at Black Sale Black Sugar. The signature burger is a halal smash patty with Moroccan spices on brioche. They also favored spiced cheese curds.
Eat. Drink. Help Rescue Pets.
Support pet rescue and adoption at Harvey’s on Thursday, August 21 from 5:00 –8:00 p.m., as they partner up with Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation for an evening of food and fun. Festivities include a Doggie Dress-Up contest with prizes and treats for four-legged friends. Harvey’s will donate 10 percent of the entire day’s sales to Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, helping adoptable dogs and cats find loving homes. Details at www.lostdogrescue.org
Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.
AUGUST 21 - 27, 2025 | PAGE 3
F.C. Schools’ Superintendent Dade Hails Start of New School Year
from Page 1
once again why we do this important work together.
“Our incredible team of educators, support staff, and administrators has spent the summer collaborating to ensure every student feels welcomed, supported, and ready to learn. From our newest kindergarteners taking their first steps into Mount Daniel Elementary to our graduating seniors at Meridian High School, each student brings unique strengths that make our learning community stronger.
“As we begin this new chapter, I’m energized by the partnerships we are building with families and our broader Falls Church community. The needs of our students come first, and we know that meeting those needs requires all of us working together—educators, families, and community members—each bringing our expertise and dedication to support student success.
“Thank you to our families for entrusting us with your children, and to our entire FCCPS team for your unwavering commitment to excellence. Together, we’re building something truly special for our students.”
Opening day for classes at all five City system schools proceeded without incident in warm, clear, summery weather.
It was nostalgic for some, such as Falls Church’s State Delegate Marcus Simon, who mused on social media Monday, “Not gonna lie, it was a little sad to see all the kids standing at the bus stop on the corner for the first day of school. Made me a little nostalgic for the vicarious excitement that came with this time of year for a good long time. Now Z is driving himself to Virginia Tech on Friday, and Em just wants us to deliver her luggage to her apartment this weekend as she embarks on her first year of grad school.”
This was a sentiment shared in one form or another by many this opening day, even as it arrived two weeks before the usual post-Labor Day starting date.
The schools’ PTAs made the first day back special by showering teachers and staff with meals and love, Brett reported.
School days are set to run as follows: Jessie Thackrey Preschool 8:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. (No Early Release), Mt. Daniel and Oak
Street Elementary Schools 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. (Early Release when scheduled: 1:15 p.m.), Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and Meridian High School: 8:30 a.m. — 3:10 p.m. (Early Release: 12:30 p.m.).
Back to School Nights for parents are set as follows: Henderson Middle School Wednesday, August 27; 6:15 p.m., Meridian High Wednesday, September 3; 6:30 p.m., Oak Street Thursday, September 4; 6:30 p.m. and Mt Daniel Thursday, September 11; 6:30 p.m.
The system’s instructional technology staff is involved this week at Meridian High and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in the distribution of 1,700 new MacBook Pro laptops to students in grades 6-12. This is part of FCCPS’s fouryear device cycle program, ensuring students always have access to up-todate technology.
The distribution effort represents months of careful planning and preparation. As part of a commitment to equitable access across all grade levels, the laptops previously used by secondary students were refurbished over the summer and are being redeployed to Mt. Daniel
and Oak Street Elementary Schools. Students received their new laptops along with updated guidelines for digital citizenship and responsible technology use.
The Free and Reduced Meals applications for the 2025-26 school year are now available for submission. All families must reapply each year, even if approved in previous years. Any questions should be directed to Richard Kane at RKane@
fccps.org.
The new year sports season kicks off this week for the Meridian High Mustangs with a home girls volleyball match tonight, Thursday Aug. 21, against Heritage High, and an away varsity football game at Alexandria City High at 6:15 p.m. A girls field hockey game against Westlake will be home for the Mustangs Friday at 7:30 p.m.
NEW SCHOOL YEAR Brings Excitement Across FCCPS. (Photo: FCCPS)
World’s First Commercial Fusion Plant Now Being Readied in S. VA.
Continued from Page 1
SPARC, a smaller Tokamac device under construction at the company’s campus in Devens, Massachusetts. SPARC is intended to demonstrate net fusion energy in the next couple of years — an essential milestone before any utility would contemplate routine grid operations.
Assembly of the SPARC kicked off with the installation of its cryostat base in April 2025. It is expected to yield first plasma, meaning the milestone moment when a new fusion device is turned on for the very first time and successfully creates a plasma — a superheated, electrically charged gas in which fusion reactions can potentially occur — next year, with net energy, meaning more fusion output than input, targeted for 2027.
The company and its backers have repeatedly emphasized a target of first electricity from ARC in the “early 2030s,” contingent on SPARC’s performance and subsequent engineering scale-up.
This sequencing helps explain Dominion’s measured, non-financial role: it secures a front-row seat and real-world project learning while leaving the technology and performance risk squarely with CFS and its investors.
A further boost came on June 30, 2025, when Google announced a strategic partnership with CFS that includes a 200-megawatt power purchase agreement from the Chesterfield ARC plant. While not a Dominion contract, the Google deal is significant for the Virginia project’s bankability: it signals demand for ARC’s output and could accelerate
financing and supply-chain mobilization.
Google has signed an offtake agreement to purchase 200 megawatts of carbon-free electricity from CFS’s first commercial fusion power plant. Google’s agreement amounts to half of the plant’s projected output. Google, which has been an investor in CFS since 2021, is increasing its financial stake in the company as part of the new agreement. As part of the strategic partnership, Google also holds the option to purchase power from future ARC plants, indicating a long-term energy procurement vision.
Thus, the agreement reinforces that fusion’s earliest commercial buyers may be large, power-hungry data center operators seeking around-theclock clean electricity. For Dominion’s service territory—which already hosts dense data-center load growth—the prospect of local, dispatchable, carbon-free generation is strategically aligned with planning needs.
If SPARC proves out and ARC delivers power on the projected timeline, Dominion stands to benefit from early operational knowledge, a strengthened grid resource in a highgrowth corridor, and proximity to a pioneering clean-energy asset in its backyard.
For the broader industry, the Dominion–CFS arrangement offers a pragmatic template: utilities de-risk their exposure while enabling innovators to move first-of-a-kind fusion from promise to practice.
The potential of achieving practical nuclear fusion energy is often described as transformative—on par with the harnessing of electricity itself. Fusion, the process that powers the
sun, fuses light atomic nuclei such as deuterium and tritium to release massive amounts of energy.
Unlike current fission reactors, which split heavy nuclei, fusion produces no long-lived radioactive waste, carries no risk of runaway meltdown, and uses abundant fuel sources, including isotopes of hydrogen available from seawater and lithium.
If humanity succeeds in bringing fusion onto the grid at scale, the implications for energy security and climate change are profound.
Fusion could provide a nearly limitless source of carbon-free electricity, operating around the clock without reliance on weather conditions or long-term fuel constraints. In contrast to solar and wind, which are variable and require extensive storage or backup, fusion would offer stable baseload power while complementing renewables. This reliability is particularly attractive as societies electrify transportation, heating, and heavy industry.
The environmental benefits extend beyond carbon reduction. Fusion reactions produce helium as the primary byproduct—a benign, non-toxic gas. Tritium handling and neutron flux management remain engineering challenges, but the overall safety profile is dramatically better than fission. Large-scale adoption could drastically reduce the ecological footprint of energy production, displacing fossil fuels that pollute air, destabilize climate systems, and drive geopolitical conflicts over scarce resources.
Economically, commercial fusion could reshape global energy markets. Countries without fossil fuel reserves would no longer be dependent on
imports, democratizing access to energy and reducing vulnerability to price shocks.
For developing nations, fusion could accelerate growth by providing abundant, clean, and affordable electricity without the trade-offs that have historically accompanied industrialization. On the geopolitical stage, widespread fusion deployment might ease tensions rooted in resource competition, although it could also create new dynamics around intellectual property, technology sharing, and early-market advantages.
That said, fusion is not a guaranteed panacea. The engineering challenges of maintaining a stable plasma, building materials that withstand extreme neutron bombardment, and reducing costs to commercially viable levels are immense. Achieving netpositive energy in experiments is only the first step; scaling to grid-ready plants requires parallel advances in regulation, supply chains, and financing.
Still, the pursuit of fusion represents a unique convergence of science, technology, and human aspiration. Should it succeed, fusion could underpin a sustainable, high-energy civilization for centuries—an achievement that would mark one of humanity’s greatest technological triumphs.
Rep. Beyer is the founder and a co-chair of the Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus, which he established in 2021 to educate lawmakers about fusion science, dispel misconceptions, and advocate for increased funding through public-private partnerships.
Under his leadership, the caucus has grown significantly—boasting over 100 House members. Beyer has been instrumental in pushing for-
ward key fusion-related legislation, including the Fusion Energy Act, and bringing fusion to the forefront of Congress’s clean-energy agenda.
The Fusion Caucus is a bipartisan group of lawmakers dedicated to advancing nuclear fusion research, development, and commercialization as a cornerstone of America’s clean energy future. The caucus brings together members of Congress from both parties who recognize the transformative potential of fusion to provide virtually limitless, carbonfree power and to strengthen U.S. leadership in cutting-edge science and technology.
The caucus serves several key roles. It educates members of Congress about progress in fusion research, from federal programs such as the Department of Energy’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences to privatesector initiatives backed by venture capital. It advocates for robust and consistent federal funding for fusion projects, including the ITER international collaboration, national laboratory experiments, and new publicprivate partnerships. It also supports policy frameworks to accelerate the translation of laboratory breakthroughs into commercial demonstration plants by the 2030s.
Importantly, the caucus positions fusion within the broader context of U.S. competitiveness and climate strategy. With rivals such as China and the EU investing heavily in fusion, the caucus argues that maintaining U.S. leadership is both a national security imperative and an economic opportunity. Its work reflects growing consensus that fusion could be a gamechanging energy source for future generations.
Talarico at Trinity UCC on Democracy & Christianity
Nicholas F. Benton
As Democratic state legislators returned to Texas this week, a vote was expected Wednesday by the Republican-controlled legislature to radically alter Congressional district boundaries in the state under direction of Trump that could result in five more Republican seats in advance of the 2026 midterm elections.
If the vote is taken, we will then look eagerly to what happens in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to “fight fire with fire” with redistricting of its own in the Democratic controlled-state to match the Texas move, if not provide for even more pro-Democratic districts.
Some are arguing that these developments could result in the end of partisan redistricting, overall, which would be a good thing, and even more importantly, maybe an end to the great inequities represented by the Electoral College. For example, Wyoming, with under 600,000 people, has three electoral votes. That means each electoral vote represents about 200,000 residents. California, with nearly 40 million people, has 55 electoral votes, meaning each vote represents about 725,000 residents. A Wyoming voter thus has more than three times the influence of a Californian.
Sadly, the reason the very existence of the Electoral College in the modern era has never been seriously challenged is because both of the two major political parties prefer to focus their attention on swing states only. But this is one of the great inequities in our democracy. Twice already in this century, a president was elected with a minority of the popular vote to our great detriment (G.W. Bush and Trump).
Still, the current situation in Texas has added to the energy of the opposition to the Trump administration’s egregious assault on democracy. They’re acting so blatantly in Texas because they see the handwriting on the wall. Demographic trends in that state are following the pattern of California, which used to be pro-Republican (two terms for Reagan as its governor, for example) but in the last decade, due to demographic shifts, is now solidly blue.
In Texas, the current fight has helped to elevate the national profile of 36-year-old State Senator James Talarico, who may be running for the U.S. Senate next year, but is already making major waves because of his progressive views on his faith. Since first being elected, he’s attended and graduated from a Presbyterian theological seminary and has taken on the so-called Christian nationalists, Trump-supporting ostensible faith leaders like the son of Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, and others.
Talarico has described Christian nationalism as “the worship of power – social power, economic power, political power, in the name of Christ” and has accused Christian Nationalists of turning Jesus “into a gun-toting, gay-bashing, sciencedenying, money-loving, fear-mongering fascist” and argued that it is “incumbent on all Christians to confront it and denounce it” in a 2023 guest sermon which racked up more than 1 million views after it was posted on YouTube.
This focus led to Talarico being invited to speak at last Sunday’s service of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where he was staying while participating in the boycott of the Texas legislature until early this week.
That heavily Afro-American church gained notoriety for being former President Obama’s church when the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was its preacher, and became the focus of anti-Obama campaigning for his progressive sermons, causing Obama to disassociate from the church.
But Talarico’s sermon last Sunday did not pull any punches. He equated democracy with Christianity, noting that Jesus was “not crucified by the Roman empire because he was a nice guy,” noting that “crucifixion was punishment for rebels.”
Jesus, he said, “provoked a direct conflict with the ruling class, the rich and powerful. He took on the system” as one committed to “loving God and neighbor.”
He cited the parable of the Good Samaritan which, he said, “represented a shocking definition of neighbor” as the outcast, the other, who offers salvation.
While not partisan, Jesus was political, he argued, noting that economic justice is mentioned 3,000 times in the Bible, and the phrase in the Lord’s Prayer, “on earth and in heaven,” has radical implications.
“The Kingdom of God is hiding in plain sight,” he said.
A Penny for Your Thoughts
By Penny Gross Former Fairfax County Supervisor
If the United States’ 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia was dubbed “Seward’s Folly,” one wonders what last week’s Anchorage Summit might be called. Trump’s idiocy? No, that’s already been done with some of his cabinet picks. Trump’s madness? That, too, has already been utilized, notably his new-found use of the National Guard to try to federalize Washington’s police force. Five years ago, remember, he allowed his mob to attack the Capitol and failed to lift a finger when the National Guard really was needed. “Trump’s Recklessness” is a much better descriptor, especially when you consider the longer-term effect of the Trump/Putin meeting on the international political order. In less than an afternoon, Trump elevated Russia’s dictator Vladimir Putin back onto the world stage, and reduced America’s role as a superpower to little more than a photo op. Red carpets on the tarmac, an unprecedented ride in the armored presidential limousine, and Putin usurping the subsequent joint appearance -- no questions, please, so it
can’t be termed a press conference – all demonstrated an appalling lack of understanding about how diplomacy works. Trump approached the meeting like a real estate mogul, not the president of the United States. That might have worked in 1867 but certainly not a century and a half later. International diplomacy is an art. You can’t just “wing it” but Trump fired State Department experts and Tulsi Gabbard hollowed out the ranks of intelligence professionals who understood how to build the relationships necessary for successful diplomacy. Trump cozied up to a dictator who, repeatedly, has demonstrated that his goal is to consolidate power across eastern Europe and farther. Putin has made no secret of his desire to re-establish the old Soviet system and its Cold War dominion, and it looks like he has drafted Donald Trump, who likes to pick fights with our allies, to help achieve his goal.
While we do not know the intimate details of the conversation between the two world leaders, one thing seems to be clear:
City of Falls Church Crime Report
Week of Aug 11 - 17, 2025
Shoplifting, W Broad St, Aug 11, 6:48 PM, an unknown suspect stole merchandise. The suspect is described as a black male with medium length black dreadlocks, approximately 30-40 years of age and 5’11” – 6’1” in height, wearing a blue face mask, black hoodie with white emblem, blue jeans, and brown shoes.
Shoplifting, S Washington St, Aug 12, 12:21 AM, an unknown suspect stole merchandise. The suspect is described as an Asian male, approximately 50-60 years of age and 5`7” - 5`9” in height, with medium length gray and black hair in a ponytail, wearing glasses, a tan button up over a blue t-shirt, and blue jeans.
Shoplifting, Wilson Blvd, Aug 12, 11:22 AM, two unknown suspects stole merchandise. The first suspect is described as a black male wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, orange hat, and black sneakers. The second suspect is described as a black male wearing a black t-shirt, black pants, green hat, and white sneakers.
Fraud, W Broad St, Aug 12, 5:30 PM, an identified suspect left without paying after having services performed on their vehicle.
Destruction of Property, Hillwood Ave, between 12:00 PM on August 9 and 8:30 AM on August 13, an unknown suspect used bricks to damage windows on the victim’s home.
Destruction of Property, S Washington St, between 2:00 PM on August 11 and 2:00 PM on August 13, an unknown suspect gained entry to the victim’s business and damaged electronics.
Public Intoxication, S Washington St, Aug 13, 11:01 PM, a white male, 67, of no fixed address, was arrested for Public Intoxication.
Obscene Material/Shoplifting, W Broad St, Aug 14, 12:00 PM, an unknown suspect displayed pornographic material inside a business, then stole merchandise. The suspect is described as a black male wearing a blue Armani Exchange polo, black pants, with a black and red backpack.
Destruction of Property, S Maple Ave, Aug 15, 4:32 PM, a report of graffiti was taken. Fraud – False Pretenses, Roosevelt Blvd, Aug 15, 12:57 PM, victim reported sending money to an unknown suspect after receiving a phone call from an individual claiming to be a law enforcement officer with active warrants for the victim’s arrest.
Vladimir Putin is not one to roll over to appease Donald Trump’s whims. That must be frustrating to a president used to getting his way with Congress, the Department of Justice, the Supreme Court, and other world leaders. In an extraordinary demonstration of unity, leaders from England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the European Commission and NATO decided to accompany Ukrainian president Zelenskyy on his trip to Washington to discuss ending Putin’s years-long invasion of Ukraine. They recognize, even if Trump doesn’t, that all of Europe’s future may be on the line, not just Ukraine.
Trump desperately covets a Nobel Peace Prize and hopes that ending the war in Ukraine will be his ticket to Oslo. The small gold medal might get lost in the newly-gilded Oval Office, but it also comes with a million dollars in prize money. Is it a peace legacy he seeks, or a hefty financial prize? In the meantime, tens of thousands of people in Gaza are starving, his budget cuts will curtail health care and food assistance to millions of Americans, he threatens to send the National Guard to other cities governed by black mayors, and the Epstein scandal continues to seethe. “Trump’s Recklessness” slides quickly to “Wreck”lessness.
6 | AUGUST 21 - 27, 2025
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A headline this week in The Washington Post reads, “‘The City is Dead:’ As Restaurant Week Arrives in D.C., Owners See a Decline in Reservations Amid Takeover of City’s Police Force.” A seminal paragraph in the story by Tim Carman and Warren Rojas read, “This August has been particularly tough on D.C. restaurants, numerous operators told The Washington Post. They were already dealing with a number of destabilizing issues — rising labor and ingredient costs, soaring rents, federal worker layoffs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement audits, when the president announced last week that he was sending in troops and federal agents.”
The Restaurant Association of Metro Washington’s annual August Metropolitan Washington Summer Restaurant Week that over 100 dining establishments rely on to pull them through these dog days when Congress is on vacation and so are so many others is being brutally impacted by the addition of Trump’s martial takeover of the capital. An article in the LGBTQ+ weekly online magazine, Metro Weekly, reports that “the surge of federal agents stationed on 14th Street NW and along the U Street corridor in D.C. cost them thousands of dollars in lost business this past weekend.”
We deplore the conditions created by Trump’s egregious takeover of our nation’s capital, including of the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian museums that he is now seeking to transform in conformity with his angry, straight white male cultural prejudice. It is killing our capital and all the businesses in it, which could indeed be its purpose.
Since all this began in January, the first wave came in the form of people vowing never to set foot in the Kennedy Center again. This is really tough, given the marginal salaries most of the performers there receive already, and the wonderful performances of the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera and others that do so much to be a balm for so many in the otherwise rough political terrain of this capital city.
We wish all in D.C. the best, not the least because the health of the capital city matters to all of us in the greater metropolitan area. But sadly, now more and more in its suburbs are talking resolutely about staying out of D.C. altogether, many out of protest, but many more out of fear of being rounded up in indiscriminate ways by unprofessional agents of ICE and the growing numbers of National Guard.
But we can remind those people, being victims of this process as well, that there is no shortage of fine dining and entertainment venues in Northern Virginia and in Falls Church. After all, there are formal participants in this week’s Metro D.C. Summer Restaurant Week right in Falls Church, being Ellie Bird, Nue Elegantly Vietnamese, Chasin’ Tails and The Falls, as well as favorites right on Falls Church’s borders like La Cote d’Or, the Idylwood Grill and Fava Pot. More Northern Virginia regional ones are imminent, as well.
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5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.
6. Give ‘value received’ for every dollar you take in.
7. Make the paper show a profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.
Letters to Editor
Editor,
Thanks, Mr. Benton for your informative article on our City Council’s decision to consider making payment for Trash pickup in Falls Church more equitable. I would like to add that
the residents of Park Towers coordinated with residents of the Broadway, the Spectrum, the Byron, Falls Plaza, and the Madison. I hope that the residents of multi-family dwellings can continue to work together in the future to advocate for our mutual needs and interests.
Peter Markham Park Towers Condominium
Their lies come out of your wallet. Insurance fraud costs everyone in Virginia $1,000 per year. Learn how to spot it and report it at TheCostOfFraud.com
Falls Church Schools: A Full IB Continuum Community
In the heart of Northern Virginia, Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) stands out as one of the few school divisions in the United States offering the full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum—from preschool through grade 12. This commitment spans its five schools and more than 2,700 students, making FCCPS a premier PreK–12 IB World School division.
FCCPS emphasizes academic excellence, innovation, and global thinking. The system became fully IB-authorized in stages: it began with the IB Diploma Programme (DP) at Meridian High School, added the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for grades 6–10 at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, and incorporated the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for preschool through grade 5. Today, every student in Falls Church—from the youngest learner to the graduating senior—is immersed in IB methodology.
One notable milestone occurred in 1981 when the high
school, then known as George Mason High School (now Meridian High School), became the first in Virginia to offer the IB Diploma Programme. The MYP followed in 2016, while the PYP was introduced a few years later, allowing FCCPS to become the first school division in Virginia— and among a select few nationwide—to offer every IB level across the full K–12 spectrum.
What does this mean for students? The IB approach nurtures critical thinking, internationalmindedness, and balanced development. The MYP at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and Meridian High School provides a thoughtful, student-centered model that still aligns with Virginia’s Standards of Learning. Students engage with universal concepts and transferable skills— such as collaboration, long-term planning, research, communication, and service learning—that build a strong foundation for the rigorous DP or Career-Related Programme that follows.
At Meridian High School, the IB Diploma Programme remains the capstone of FCCPS’s aca-
demic progression. This two-year program is internationally recognized for its academic rigor, deep assessment structure, and holistic development. Students must complete six subject-area courses, the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) seminar, an Extended Essay, and the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) requirement to earn an IB Diploma—preparing them for both global citizenship and university success.
Why it matters: Offering IB across all grades ensures continuity in educational philosophy, pedagogy, and expectations. FCCPS is among just a handful of K-12 IB Continuum divisions in the country. In this close-knit city environment—with a studentto-teacher ratio near 12:1 and consistently strong academic outcomes—the IB framework helps deepen engagement and purpose at every stage of learning.
Further, educators in Falls Church exemplify the IB spirit. At Oak Street Elementary, for example, Washington Post 2025 Teacher of the Year Miriam Schimmoller leads a third-grade classroom infused with inquiry,
creativity, and critical thinking—all hallmarks of the IB approach—even as she meets Virginia’s academic standards.
In sum, Falls Church City Public Schools have built a distinctive, fully integrated IB educa-
tional system—an extraordinary commitment to equity, depth, and global readiness. From preschool to diploma, students benefit from a coherent, inquiry-driven curriculum that equips them to thrive in a complex, interconnected world.
STUDENTS ARE WELCOMED BACK to Falls Church classrooms for the start of the 2025–2026 school year. (Photo: FCCPS)
By Falls Church News-Press
Upcoming Meridian High School 2025 Sports Schedule
Thurs, Aug 21
Football – JV vs Heritage
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Football – Boys Varsity
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Location: Alexandria City HS
Volleyball – Girls Varsity Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Fri, Aug 22
Field Hockey – Girls JV vs
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Field Hockey – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Mon, Aug 25
Volleyball – JV vs Skyline HS
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Field Hockey – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Annandale HS
Volleyball – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Tues, Aug 26
Volleyball – JV
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Westfield HS
Football – JV vs Justice
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Volleyball – Boys Varsity Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location:Meridian HS
Wed, Aug 27
Field Hockey – Girls JV
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Volleyball – Boys Varsity
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Centreville HS
Volleyball – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Field Hockey – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Meridian HS
Thurs, Aug 28
Football – Boys Varsity
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Justice HS
Volleyball – Boys Varsity
Cross Country – Girls
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Patriot HS
Tues, Sept 2
Volleyball – JV
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Meridian High School
Football – JV
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Kettle Run High
Field Hockey – Girls JV
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Alexandria City High
Volleyball – Boys Varsity
Volleyball – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Unity Reed High
Thurs, Sept 4
Volleyball – JV
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Chantilly High School
Volleyball – JV
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Fauquier High School
Volleyball – Boys Varsity
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Chantilly High School
Volleyball – Girls Varsity
Time: 7:30 p.m.
LEARNING
• Small Class Sizes K-6th Grade
• Reading, writing, phonics, science, social studeies, spelling & math
• Extracurricular classes in computers, art, music & gym
Play
• Spacious Playground
• Daily indoor/outdoor free play
• On-site gym for indoor exercise
EXTRAS
• Open Daily 7 a.m - 6 p.m.
• Before and after school care
• Hot catered lunch & snacks provided daily
• Variety of educational field trips
• Spring, Summer & Winter Camps
Key Annoucements For 2025–26 Falls Church School Year
Meridian HS: (703) 248-5501, AttendanceMHS@fccps.org
FCCPS 2025-26 School Calendars
fccps.org/ page/calendars
NEW LAPTOPS ARRIVE for Students as Technology Refresh Continues. (Photo: FCCPS) VISIT THE TRANSPORTATION PAGE
(Photo: FCCPS)
Local Teacher Brings Global Conservation Back to School
By Elissa Levy
Falls Church, VA – I recently returned from a transformative research expedition in Brazil, where I participated in an Earthwatch Teach Earth fellowship focused on conservation and regrowth of the Atlantic rainforest. This experience was funded by the competitive Teach Earth program. Through the program, I gained new insights, a larger network of educator-collaborators, and a vision for helping students nurture our planet for generations to come.
While in Brazil, our team (eight educators from across the US, including myself) worked with research scientists at the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) site. This is one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, but only 15 percent of the original forest remains. We helped plant trees to expand the forest, and most of the expedition involved measuring the health of the ecosystem in areas that have been reforested in
the past 10-20 years. We hiked a few miles of trail each day, with 180 small traps to catch mammals placed along the path. We tagged and measured oppossums and mice that were caught in the traps each day, before releasing them. We also set up and analyzed data from motion-activated cameras to study
populations of larger mammals. I got to see saw sloths, capybaras, and even the once-locally-extinct tapir that has now been reintroduced to the region. I now have ideas for incorporating mammal-tracking research into the kinematics unit of my physics class, helping students make interdisciplinary connections as they learn mathematical techniques for describing motion.
The fellowship gives me renewed hope for our world. I will continue to talk with students about the ways that we destroy our environment, but I now have a better understanding of the concrete actions already being taken to reverse some of the damage. It reminds me that I can inspire students to be part of the solution, rather than just bemoaning the problem.
The experience was also an invaluable opportunity to expand my professional network. It’s great
to meet other teachers who always have great ideas. When we come together in a new place, we inevitably generate ideas that will benefit students across the country. I am already planning a few projects with the teachers I met on the trip, which will connect students across schools.
This experience is a powerful reminder of how immersive, handson learning can enrich an educator’s perspective and, in turn, inspire a new generation of students to become engaged citizens and scientists.
Physics Teacher
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA
A RECENT FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE IN BRAZIL provided hands-on opportunities in conservation and research, highlighting the importance of environmental restoration and collaboration. The work offered new perspectives and inspiration to bring back to the classroom and share with future generations. (Photo: Elissa Levy)
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News & Notes
CBC Announces F.C. Candidate ‘Meet & Greet’ on Sept. 5
Falls Church’s venerable civic organization, the Citizens for a Better City (CBC), issued an announcement Tuesday that it will host a Candidate Meet and Greet event open to the public on Friday, Sept. 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Falls Church Arts Gallery, 700 W. Broad St.
CBC Correspondent Sally Ekfelt, a former F.C. School Board member, issued the invitation to the entire community. She wrote, “This event is a cocktail reception providing an opportunity for you to meet the candidates running for local election in a relaxed, informal, and social setting. The candidates will be asked to introduce themselves and say a word or two, but no speeches and no debates, just collegiality.” The event is open to the public.
The candidates running for election in Falls Church to fill four of the seven Council seats in November are: For City Council: incumbents Laura Downs, David Snyder and Marybeth Connelly, plus Arthur Agin, Brian Pendleton and James Thompson.
For School Board also to fill four of seven seats are: incumbents Lori Silverman, Anne Sherwood and Kathleen Tysee, plus Sharon Mergler and MaryKate Hughes.
It was also announced that CBC will co-host, with the local PTAs, a public forum for School Board candidates on October 16th and another forum, co-hosted with Falls Church Forward, for City Council candidates on October 22nd.
Meanwhile, two incumbent Council candidates, Laura Downs and Marybeth Connelly, have announced that they are hosting a campaign kick-off event at Big Chimney’s Park Saturday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m.
Rep. Beyer Visits Detention Center, Assails Conditions
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Northern Virginia toured and met with inmates at a federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detention center in Farmville, Va., south of Richmond, last week and came away with strong criticisms of conditions there.
Beyer, who was criticized for his visit in a formal press release from the agency, fired back via a spokesperson on social media.
“Federal regulations require minimum standards of care for all detainees, and unfortunately the medical resources at this facility were clearly woefully inadequate to meet those standards,” Aaron Fritschner, Beyer’s deputy chief of staff, said on X. “Improving these conditions would be a far better use of time for the staff of the Department of Homeland Security than attacking Members of Congress for doing their jobs by engaging in oversight of the Executive Branch.”
Beyer requested to meet “a number of detainees” at the detention center. Fritschner said they included people who had been kept in solitary confinement, who had recently experienced mental health crises and who had faced long delays in getting access to crucial medical treatment.
In an interview with the local news site WRIC, Beyer described “an enormous medical burden” at the detention center, which he said has only one physician and is struggling to get more nurses.
“Rep. Beyer also met with an older man who was detained by ICE when he went to his green card interview,” Fritschner told ARLnow, which first reported on the visit and its aftermath. “DHS did not include this man in their list, but it’s the kind of case that has so many people in our community upset about what DHS and ICE are doing.”
Beyer told WRIC that “maybe as many as three quarters” of detainees at the center “only have a civil reason for being there.” DHS disputes this, claiming that 66 percent of people detained at the center have been either charged or convicted of crimes in the U.S.
D.C. Clubs Report Steep $ Drops Due to Fed Takeover
Owners of several D.C. LGBTQ bars and nightclubs say the federal takeover of the city’s police force — and the surge of federal agents stationed on 14th Street NW and along the U Street corridor — cost them thousands of dollars in lost business this past weekend, according to a report in the Metro Weekly
Mark Rutstein, co-owner of Crush Dance Bar at 14th and U Streets NW, told CBS affiliate WUSA that August 15 was the worst Friday the bar has seen since opening last year, the online LGBTQ+ magazine reported.
Rutstein told The Advocate that Crush sat near a multi-agency checkpoint, including agents from the Department of Homeland Security, set up on Wednesday evening. Authorities reportedly made 45 arrests, 29 of them immigration-related.
Although DHS and other federal agencies insist they are targeting only “the worst of the worst” criminals, Axios has reported cases in which U.S. citizens — primarily Latino or Native American — were detained on suspicion of being undocumented, even after providing valid identification.
Deadline Nears to Vote on Bailey’s, 7 Corners Signage
Residents have until Aug. 31 to provide feedback on new gateway signage for the Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners areas of greater Falls Church in Fairfax County.
Fairfax has unveiled a number of design options, aimed at providing consistent branding and a sense of excitement in the two Route 7 corridors.
“Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners are really the center of Northern Virginia,” said Mike Van Atta, president of the Crossroads and Corners Coalition, which supports development in the area. The online survey, which will remain open through the end of August, seeks to garner the public’s views.
Virginia Unemployment Rate Rises for 7th Straight Time
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Tuesday reported that the unemployment rate in Virginia rose again in July, to 3.6 percent, the seventh consecutive increase in the commonwealth’s unemployment rate.
Virginia’s 0.8 percent year-over-year unemployment rate increase is now the second fastest in the nation during that period, tied with Oregon and trailing only Mississippi, according to a release from U.S. Rep. Don Beyer Jr. It noted that, in the past 50 years, Virginia’s unemployment rate has only risen this sharply six times, all preceding or during nationwide recessions.
Virginia’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) declined in July, to 64.9 percent. Labor force participation in Virginia has declined every month since January, and 2025 has already seen the commonwealth’s sharpest LFPR decline since the early months of the pandemic.
McKay Hails Fairfax Gains In Affordable Housing
Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay’s weekly report Tuesday hailed gains made by the county toward its affordable housing goals. “Since setting our goal to create 10,000 new affordable homes by 2034, Fairfax County has delivered nearly 1,300 units and has over 1,500 more under construction. Along with a growing pipeline of future projects, this reflects steady progress toward expanding housing opportunities and ensuring safe, affordable homes for our community,” McKay said..
He added, “I’m proud to share that the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) has recently been honored with multiple awards recognizing its innovative work in affordable housing.”
JENNY NEWBERRY WON the Juror’s Choice Award for her mixed media art entitled “Mourning” at the Falls Church Arts Gallery Layers Exhibit. (Photo: Keith Thurston)
This Week Around Falls Church
Thursday, August 21
Falls Church Fiber Artists
Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046
CANCELLED: Arts & Humanities Council of Falls Church Meeting
Time: 9:30–11:00 a.m.
Location: City Hall, Dogwood Room A & B, 300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046
CANCELLED: Human Services Advisory Council Meeting
Time: 6:30–8:00 p.m.
Location: City Hall, Dogwood Room A & B
Friday, August 22
IO the Singer in “The Art & Soul of Nina Simone”
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Creative Cauldron, Broad & Washington Building, 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church, VA 22046
Description: Jazz, soul, and rock vocalist IO performs as singer, songwriter, and vocal arranger with a voice and style often compared to Tina Turner, Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, Whitney Houston, and Sarah Vaughan.
Sunset Cinema: Despicable Me 4
Time: 7:45–10:00 p.m.
Location: Cherry Hill Park, 312 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046
Saturday, August 23
Falls Church Farmers Market
Time: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: City Hall Parking Lot, 300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046
City Council Campaign Kick-off: Laura Downs & Marybeth Connelly
Time: 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Location: Big Chimneys Park, 210 Gibson St., Falls Church, VA 22046
Veronneau and Friends Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Creative Cauldron, Broad & Washington Building, 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church, VA 22046
Description: Passport Music Festival favorites return following their Canadian summer tour of Quebec. Québécoise award-winning vocalist Lynn Veronneau and British guitarist Ken Avis perform a multilingual mix of world, folk, jazz, blues, and chamber pop.
Wednesday, August 27
Mayor’s Agenda Meeting with Staff
Time: 8:30–9:00 a.m.
Location: City Hall, Oak Room, 300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046
CANCELLED: City Council Government Operations Committee Meeting
Time: 9:00–10:00 a.m.
Location: City Hall, Oak Room
Public Utilities Commission Meeting
Time: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Location: City Hall, Laurel Room, 300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046 Send us your events to calendar@fcnp.com
A Multi-layered “Layers” Exhibition at Falls Church Arts
By Mark Dreisonstok
“Layers” is an art exhibition currently om view at Falls Church Art Gallery” which includes many definitions and extensions of the term. Indeed, this might be described as a multi-layered exhibition! Here we will break through some of the layers to convey a sense of what the show has to offer the inquisitive visitor.
“Stormy Seas,” an acrylic painting by Donna Liguria, depicts an impressive scene in nature frozen in time, to wit: a lightning strike “zapping” straight down the canvas through layers of clouds into the open sea. The light cast by the bolt of lightning upon the rippling water below races towards the viewer and brings the viewer’s eye racing towards the central item of the work, the bolt of lightning itself. Although this is a nocturnal painting, there is much light (as well as rich color and texture): the water is illuminated by the lighting strike as well as a moon high above in the sky, lending the painting an almost mystic touch.
Nature is presented in a far more tranquil state in Bob Wentworth’s watercolor painting “Serenity,” in which a man sailing in a boat gazes towards the autumnal trees and mountains farthest from the viewer; perhaps he is pondering seasonal changes and the various stages of life. The artistic style reminds one of East Asian art, with a suggestion of a teahouse-like gazebo in the distance, a mountain-scape, and atmospheric muted colors. Similarly, Japanese classical painting is suggested in Sandra Lewin’s “Egret in Flight,” in which acrylic paint is layered with
metallic acrylic paint on “gallery wrapped canvas.”
Birds also make their appearance in a pair of cardinals in Nicki Mulligan’s “So This is Love” (mixed media) and “Macaw Mischief,” an oil painting by Jessica Lehman with a unique combination of realism and a playful kind of geometric repetition. “Macaw Mischief” depicts two macaws, their human-like expression (and the painting’s title) lending the work some humor. This painting employs repeated, relatively simple shapes behind and around the birds, such as the clusters of rocks and varieties of greenery, adding a secondary level of contrast when compared to the deeply detailed feathers and animated posing of the two colorful birds on the tree branch.
Returning to an autumn foliage setting, Nany Patrick’s acrylic painting “The Woods” strikes a literary tone, for the poetry of Robert Frost inspired this painter to enter
“through the woods to explore its many intricacies. Deeper and deeper, through layers of trees and foliage till the serene glen is reached where the mind can explore, with wonder, nature.”
Opening up another layer, we segue from the painting medium (and nature paintings) to the mixed-media collage “Saffronia Reimagined” by Barbara Osborne-Harris. Centered in the work is a woman who confronts the viewer with startling threedimensionality and an oddly captivating surreal look. The faceless woman carries what appear to be a picket fence and a book or folio, as she tilts her head to the side and steps forward, as if to greet or question the onlooker.
Finally, we end our brief tour of the “Layers” exhibition with a brief look at Lara Tiller’s paper collage “Message Only,” which combines layers of the old and the new. In the artist’s description: “Two postcards
from different eras are combined with a strip of modern tickets to create a new horizon.”
Those wishing to explore these and other multi-layered artworks should avail themselves of
Freakier Friday Brings Back Nostalgic, Comedic Sequel
By Lisa Sinrod
If you liked the Freaky Friday film released in 2003, I’m betting you’ll like this Disney sequel with almost the same name. The lead actors are back, with the wonderfully tart humor of Jamie Lee Curtis and the surprisingly good acting chops of Lindsay Lohan. Given her much publicized personal drama over the years, I’m reminded again that she possesses skill on the screen. The story derives from a novel entitled “Freaky Friday,” written by Mary Rodgers in 1972.The 2003 film based on the book featured a body swap between mother, Tess (Curtis), and her teenage daughter, Anna (Lohan). The first Freaky Friday movie, with different actors, was released in 1977 and re-released in
1981, but didn’t have the large box office draw of the 2003 movie on which this direct sequel is based.
In Freakier Friday, we re-enter the lives of Tess and Anna 22 years later. Much has changed, although the original mother/daughter dynamic between the characters played by Curtis and Lohan remains reassuringly the same. Anna is all grown up with a teenage daughter of her own, Harper. She has a career in the music industry, which makes for an interesting side plot, and is engaged to be married. The inimitable Jamie Lee Curtis is at her best as Tess, a widowed therapist and hands-on grandma to Harper.
The body swapping theme of the Freaky series becomes more complicated in this one, as we now have two swaps happening at the
same time. Body swapping, from a theatrical standpoint, means that two people magically switch bodies so that each person is living inside the other’s physical form, while still keeping their own mind, personality, and thoughts. Body swapping can be comedic or horror themed, depending on the story, and in the Freaky Friday series it is definitely comedic. The audience knows that it’s someone else in that person’s body, but no one interacting with the characters does, which creates the humor.
Harper has a high school lab partner, Lily, whom she fights with –landing them both in the principal’s office. Her father, charmingly played by Manny Jacinto, meets Anna (Lohan’s character, who is Harper’s mom) when both parents retrieve their wayward daughters after the
fight. And, you guessed it, the two single parents fall in love and get engaged. All of this happens early in the film, and the plot rapidly moves forward from there. During a mysterious event, Harper and her mom body swap while retaining their original personalities and the same happens between Lily and grandma Tess. Is this complicated and hard to follow at first? Yes. But it is fun, keeping the audience on its toes, and surprisingly effective in the story line.
The daughters, who are now in the bodies of the adults, have an agenda for which they go to great lengths to achieve. Lily’s father is caught in the whirlwind of activity and strange behavior of the women around him, who are all adapting to their new body swapped perso-
nas. His bafflement is a lovely thing to watch. Suspending disbelief is a requirement in this dramedy, as it was in the 2003 predecessor. New themes surrounding blended families and the challenges of aging appear in Freakier Friday, adding a modicum of depth to the wacky humor. At times, all of this becomes too frenetic and a bit confusing, yet that seems like a small price to pay for this humorous nostalgia piece which also adapts well to the present day.
The script, written by Jordan Weiss, is true to the genre and well developed. The earnest acting by all the principal characters is spoton, making the unbelievable seem almost believable. I left the theater smiling and feeling fully satisfied. The movie is rated PG and is appropriate for tweens and up.
the opportunity to visit “Layers” at Falls Church Arts Gallery at 700-B West Broad Street, Falls Church, Virginia, between now and September 28, 2025, when the exhibition closes.
ARTWORKS FEATURED IN “LAYERS,” at Falls Church Arts Gallery, showcase diverse interpretations. (Photos: Falls Church Arts)
