January 3 – 9, 2007
Berlin: Extend IB to Elementary Schools
Falls Church City School System Superintendent Dr. Lois Berlin will include funding for extending the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) program to the system’s two elementary schools in her proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget. She will unveil her proposal at the School Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8. She will also propose funding to explore extending the IB program to the Henderson Middle School. The academically-challenging IB program has been operational at George Mason High School for almost two decades and helped establish the school’s reputation as one of the nation’s finest. It has subsequently been adopted by high schools in surrounding jurisdictions. “Falls Church City has a longstanding commitment to academic excellence, and one way to help ensure the tradition continues is to explore innovative ways to deliver instruction in an effort to raise student achievement,” Berlin said.
Fatal Stabbing in Bailey’s Crossroads
Shortly after New Year’s, just past midnight on Tuesday, an 18-year-old man was pronounced dead at Inova Fairfax Hospital, the victim of apparent stab wounds to his upper body. Jose Pedro Lopez, 18, was found lying on the ground in front of an apartment building at 357 N. Glebe Road in the Bailey’s Crossroads area of Arlington. Fairfax County Police determined that an altercation broke out between Lopez and Manuel Soliz, 31. Soliz allegedly stabbed Lopez and a murder warrant has been obtained for Soliz, of 6018 Knollwood Dr., who is described as five feet tall, 180 pounds. Anyone with information about Soliz is urged to contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477 for Fairfax Police at 703-691-2131.
Oliver Hardi Hits Ground Running
Oliver Hardi, son of former News-Press employee Lucas Hardi and wife Lettyi, residents of the City of Falls Church, grew the City’s population with his arrival at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, weighing in at 8 lbs., 7 oz., and measuring 20 ¼ inches. Lucas and Letty were anticipating the birth when they attended the annual News-Press Holiday Party the week before.
Partisans Group Elects New Officers
The Virginia Partisans Gay and Lesbian Democratic Club announced the results of an election of its executive board members yesterday, with Charley Conrad returning as president, Lela Graham as vice president, Tom Osborne as treasurer, Andrew Mackenzie as secretary and Mark Hindin as assistant secretary.
Video Store Robbery at Gunpoint
A Falls Church-area man was robbed at gunpoint at his place of business, the Dollar Video Store, 7395-D Lee Highway, Tuesday, Jan. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Two men entered the store armed with a handgun and demanded money from the cash register. They took money and fled. There were no injuries. The suspects were both described as black, between 18 and 20 years old.
