Falls Church News Briefs

Cathy Kaye Wins Dem Nod for F.C. Treasurer

Cathy Kaye wound up with some last-minute opposition to her bid for the Democratic nomination for Treasurer of Falls Church last Saturday when acting treasurer and long-time City resident Alice Casayuran filed to run with the endorsement of recently-retired long-serving Treasurer Bob Morrison. But Kaye prevailed in the vote by a margin of 98 to 24 and Casayuran, in a letter to the News-Press printed elsewhere in this edition, swiftly threw her support in the November general election to Kaye. Independents have until August 25 to get on the ballot to challenge Kaye in the November election. The job pays $84,000 and there is no experience necessary. The special election in November is to fill the slot vacated by Morrison, who retired in June after being re-elected last November to a fourth term.

Young Group Announces Plans for 800 W. Broad

Bob Young of the Young Group, an aggressive developer in Falls Church that currently has the Read Building under construction at 402 W. Broad, announced plans for a major all-commercial office building on the north side of the 800 block of W. Broad that will be built “by right” with no approvals by the City Council required. The building will be four floors (55 feet total height) and 44,000 square feet of first-floor retail and three floors of office space. The estimated cost of the construction is $16 million and Young projects that the annual tax yield to the City will be about $200,000.

F.C. Defers on Railroad Ave. Resolution, Again

A frustrating two and a half year ordeal to obtain City approval for a by-right subdivision of his property at 998 Railroad Ave. in Falls Church continued for City resident Kerry Lee Monday night, when F.C. City staff conceded the City had “dropped the ball” in failing to conclude an easement agreement with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority about a point where the street bumps up against the W&OD Trail at a considerable distance from Mr. Lee’s property. A tortured process to permit Mr. Lee to dispose of his undeveloped property in accordance with his rights has included the need for an official determination by the City that Railroad Avenue is, indeed, a public street. The property in question has been in the Lee family for over 60 years and no tax payment to the City has ever been late, Lee explained Monday. A neighbor, Sarah Rhyme, said she was “horrified” by the continued delays.

McLean Foundation Names New Officers

The McLean Citizens Foundation, charitable arm of the McLean Citizens Association, elected new trustees and a slate of officers for the upcoming year. Local business leader Dan Smoot and Martin Smith, a federal government official who has worked for 20 years in the field of international trade policy, were elected new trustees. Caethe Richardson, who has served on many volunteer boards, returned as a trustee. Officers for the upcoming year are Trish Butler, president; Beth Chung, vice president; Bill DuBose, treasurer; and, Adrienne Whyte, secretary. Co-chairing the foundation’s grants committee will be Diane D’Arcy and Martin Smith.

NOVA Tops Nation in Business Degrees

For the fourth year in a row, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has been ranked by Community College Week as the top producer of business degrees among two-year degree-granting institutions. NOVA also ranked in several other categories, including as ninth in overall number of degrees conferred among two-year institutions. The bi-weekly publication based its rankings on an analysis of data from the National Center for Education Stastistics. NOVA also ranked as eighth highest producer of degrees for Asian-Americans and tenth among those pursuing communication technology degrees. It placed 13 th in the awarding of degrees to non-minorities across all disciplines and was 16 th highest producer of degrees in agricultural operations and related sciences.