Falls Church News & Notes

Falls Church Archaeologist Michael F. Johnson received the prestigious Joseph Harsh Award from the Northern Virginia Association for History (NVAH) at its annual membership meeting April 17. The award was given for his work in the advancement of local history and direction of various exploratory projects, which yielded the discovery of a major historic settlement in the Mason Neck Area as well as an 11,000 year-old hunting camp at Tyson’s Corner.

Other local recent award winners include Jennifer Costa, a Falls Church resident and student at Longwood University in Farmville, VA who was among a small group to receive Rotunda Award for Community Building. The award commemorates thos that exemplify “respect and consideration for others.” An awards committee of both students and staff members recognized the achievements in leadership by 39 students in all.

Alisa Wiskin of Falls Church, currently a sociology major at the College of William and Mary was elected to the Alpha of Virginia chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and will be inducted in a ceremony on May 14.

2001 GMHS graduate Beau Fay garnered some accolades of her own, taking sixth place in the hammer throw at the Atlantic Coast Conference Track and Field Championships the weekend of the April 17. Fay attends the University of Maryland and currently holds the seventh best hammer throw in school history.

Fay’s alma mater will be bustling this Saturday, as the boys varsity and junior varsity soccer teams will host a mini-clinic for young players from the Falls Church recreational soccer leagues. The clinic will begin at 2 p.m. and will be held in conjunction with the GMHS varsity girls game, a rematch of last year’s state semi-final game against Glenvar, VA. Glenvar will travel more than five hours, each way, to take another crack at Mason.

Falls Church’s Ed Christensen is proud to announce that Mercedes-Benz of Alexandria, the newest Mercedes dealer in the Washington Metropolitan area will host a kick-off party to get acquainted with Northern Virginia communities. The cocktail party is scheduled for April 27 from 4-8 p.m. and will include live entertainment by the band Onyx, a professional magician and individual readings by local fortuneteller “G.A.” There will also be a drawing for prizes highlighted by a 42-inch JVC plasma television. The party will be “guest-list only. RSVP to Michelle Kincaid at 703-341-2149. The dealership is located at 200 South Pickett Street.

There was a party of another kind at Goodwin House West on April 18, as Mary Barkley celebrated her 95th birthday with her friends and family, including her eight great grand-children. A day earlier Ms. Barkley enjoyed a dinner party at La Cote D’Or Cafe. There she enjoyed the toasts of family and friends and a special rendition of traditional French birthday ballad sung by restauranteur Raymond Campet.

On the literary front, Falls Church author Patricia Linderman will be on hand at the Jammin’ Java Café at 231 East Maple Ave. in Vienna, VA for an informal discussion of her book The Expert Expatriate: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad. Co-author and Loudon county resident Melissa Hess will also be in attendance. The event will be free of charge.

Fairfax County artist Margaret Alleva will host an opening reception on May 7 from 6-8 p.m. at the Foundry Gallery near Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. to debut her collection aptly entitled “Recent Paintings.” The opening will be held in connection with the Dupont Circle First Friday event.

An Iron Wood Tree and a plaque were dedicated to former teacher and Lions Club member Rick Redick at the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Arbor Day ceremony April 16.

AT THE PANCAKE DINNER benefit for the Citizens for a Better City Monday at the Original Pancake House, Falls Church School Board candidate Joan Wodiska (standing, right) serves up the food and coffee to Council member David Snyder (right), Lou Olom and his guests, Irina Lajeunesse and Oleg Zaitsau. (News-Press photo)

PERFORMING AT THE Grand Opening last Friday night of The Broadway, the newly-completed mixed use project in the 600 block of West Broad, were members of the George Mason High School chorus. The school's band and chorus performed for a large gathering of prominent local citizens in the project's community room. Developer Jan Zachariasse presented a $10,000 check to the Falls Church Education Foundation in appreciation for the City's support of his project, and to underscore his commitment to enhancing the community-wide benefits of his development efforts, especially on behalf of the children in the school system. (News-Press photo)