August 28 September 3, 2025
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXV No. 29
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
N.Va. Shift To Quantum & AI Key to Its Future
THE JOYS OF LEARNING
Report Cites Pathways to Overcome Fed Gov’t Cuts by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Facing imminent severe economic headwinds in the region, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, alongside elected officials from across Northern Virginia this past week, confirmed a unified call to action aimed at safeguarding and reinventing the region’s economy for a more diversified and equitable future. “Northern Virginia has long been a powerhouse, but we’re at a defining moment. The old playbook won’t secure our future,” said Julie Coons, the Northern Virginia Chamber (NVC) president, introducing a new paper last week developed for the Chamber, “NOVA Roadmap: A Call to Action for Northern Virginia’s Economic Growth,” which was developed in partnership with professional consultants. The roadmap directly responds to alarming federal workforce reductions and contracting losses that pose a serious threat to the regional and national economy. Nearly 11,100 federal jobs have been eliminated in Virginia so far this year, with Northern Virginia experiencing the steepest drop among metro areas, putting pressure on regional unemployment, now at 3.5 percent in June. Issues the report identifies played a major role in the 10th annual “Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit,” that drew 200 business, government, and community leaders, including 22 elected officials last week. The “NOVA Roadmap” paper
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AS SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT the region began last and this week, eager learners were attentive to the opportunities awaiting them, as shown here in this photo from the Falls Church City Public Schools. (Photo: FCCPS)
EYA Lands New F.C. Area Housing Project in Pimmit Hills
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
EYA, a Washington D.C.based leader in urban infill residential development that was a major player in the 10-acre West End development in Falls Church in recent years, officially secured entitlement approvals from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pimmit Hills, adjacent Falls Church, it announced yesterday. “It marks a major
milestone in the transformation of the site into a thoughtfully designed townhome community,” a spokesman said. Located at the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Idylwood Road, the approximately 70-townhome community “will honor the church’s vision for growth while introducing new housing, green space and trail connections in a highly desirable, centrally located neighborhood,” Askash Thakkar, exec-
utive vice president of EYA, stated. “Our work with St. Paul’s has been grounded in a shared commitment to creating something lasting and meaningful. This important project is a reflection of what can be achieved when vision and expertise align, ” said Thakkar. “This has been a true partnership, which will result in a neighborhood that reflects the values of the congregation and the character of
the surrounding area.” “For St. Paul’s, this partnership is a shared journey toward a stronger future for our congregation and our neighborhood. Our site had previously been pursued by other development teams, but challenges in securing the necessary entitlements had stalled progress,” said Pastor Mark Shaltanis of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. “EYA
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