New FCNP History Book Signing Events Postponed
Due to illness, events scheduled in coming weeks featuring journalist Charlie Clark and his new book, “Life and Times of the Falls Church News-Press” (The History Press, 2023), have been postponed at the Mary Riley Styles Public Library and other locations. New dates will be set soon.
Oak Street Bridge Work Completed At Last
Work on the Oak Street Bridge, located on S. Oak Street over Tripps Run between S. Lee Street and Timber Lane, is now completed . The scope of the work involved the replacement of steel beams and concrete deck. Ancillary benefits of the project are improving pedestrian accessibility and trail access point to Howard E. Herman Stream Valley Park.
Oak Street Bridge is a simple span steel beam bridge with reinforced concrete deck and concrete abutments. In 2012, Dewberry inspectors found the bridge to be in poor condition with a bridge rating of 4 out of 10. There was severe corrosion in the steel beam webs. Timber blocking was installed at locations where steel beam webs were severely corroded. Concrete deck had spalling and numerous hairline cracks with some exposed rebar.
Biden Acts to Push Office Buildings to Residential
Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to support the conversion of high-vacancy commercial buildings to residential use, including through new financing, technical assistance, and sale of federal properties. These announcements will create much-needed housing that is affordable, energy efficient, near transit and good jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nearly 30 percent of which comes from the building sector.
N. Va. Magazine Singles Out F.C. Eateries Among Best
Falls Church area’s 2941 restaurant has been ranked highly by Northern Virginia Magazine’s food critics, whose ranking of the 50 best restaurants in the region for 2023 hit newsstands last week. Falls Church was also represented with Ellie Bird at No. 5 and the Vietnamese restaurant NUE coming in seventh. Both restaurants opened earlier this year in the city’s new Founders Row development on West and Broad streets.
Beyer to Honor Tanya Bradsher At Annual Women’s Conference
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer this week announced that Tanya J. Bradsher will receive the Clara Mortenson Beyer Women and Children First Award during his Seventh Annual Women’s Conference Nov. 4. Bradsher was nominated by President Biden to serve as the Tenth Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 14, 2023, and sworn in on September 20, 2023. She is the first woman confirmed to serve as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the first woman of color to hold the post in either an acting or a confirmed capacity.
Tanya Bradsher is a combat Veteran who served for 20 years in the United States Army, including service on the Korean peninsula and at the Pentagon on 9/11. A native of Arlington, she previously became Rep. Beyer’s second Chief of Staff, before departing in 2021 to serve in the Biden-Harris Administration, where she became Chief of Staff for Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough.
“Tanya is a courageous and conscientious person whose 20-year military service, time in the U.S. House of Representatives as my Chief of Staff, and leadership in the Biden-Harris Administration are truly exceptional,” said Rep. Beyer. “As Secretary McDonough said when Tanya became the highest-ranking woman in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Tanya has dedicated her life to fighting for her country and her fellow veterans. Tanya’s service is an inspiration to us all, and I’m proud to recognize her outstanding contributions to our country and our community.”
Rep. Beyer created the Clara Mortenson Beyer Women and Children First Award while Ambassador to Switzerland in 2011. It is named after his grandmother, who is credited with convincing the Roosevelt Administration to appoint Frances Perkins, the first female Cabinet Secretary in the United States. Clara Beyer served as Secretary Perkins’ right hand, working on child labor issues. She was the first woman appointed as U.S. Representative to the International Labor Organization in Geneva.
