Rep. Beyer Hosting Federal Worker/Contractor Event Saturday
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Northern Virginia, is hosting an event for former and current federal workers and contractors on Saturday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Paragon Theaters in Falls Church.
This event, held in partnership with City of Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi and the Wellfed Team (former federal employees), will provide practical financial guidance alongside community and wellness support. Experts will lead a Financial Triage Workshop, sharing clear strategies for budgeting, expense tracking, and planning at every career stage, with time for Q&A.
There will also be space for connection and mental well-being, recognizing that resilience is built through both financial clarity and a supportive community. Refreshments and lunch will also be provided.
2 Honored as F.C. Employees Of Year by City Council
Paula Hawkins and Bethany Howard Tran were honored as Falls Church’s Employees of the Year at a F.C. City Council ceremony last week. They were chosen by members of the City’s Employee Review Board and Human Resources Council.
Tran worked in the City Finance Department and over the past year has been described at “phenomenal,” “invaluable” and “essential,” according to a City report. She managed payroll and vendor processes, she played a vital role in the successful implementation of the Employee Self Service system.
Hawkins, according to the report, demonstrated leadership, creativity, and energy to make the Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s 125th anniversary celebration this year a major success. She is described as “bright, caring, industrious and wonderfully creative.”
MRS Public Library Shows Major Uptick in Use
The annual report of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library presented to the F.C. City Council last week by Library Director Megan Dotzler showed remarkable growth of usage and programs in the last year.
Launched was the new Local History Digital Archive featuring over 7,000 historic photographs, more than 15,000 local death notices and obituaries, City Council minutes from 1948 to 2011, Civil War-era letters, diaries and documents, F.C.’s Focus newsletter (1964-2003) and publications by the F.C. Historical Commission and oral history recordings.
Over 507,000 items were circulated, with numbers on the rise, and monthly book clubs for elementary and high school age students were begun. It worked with the State Library and the Falls Church News-Press to post online all issues of the News-Press from 1991 to 2024, expanded to over 4,000 magazines in its collection, hosted tours of the library and fitness and finance classes with local businesses, and registered 5,177 new cards to bring the total to 30,538, over double the population of Falls Church.
Beyer, 26 Dems Demand Release Of Persons Trafficking Report
Last week, U.S. Rep Don Beyer of Northern Virginia led 26 of his colleagues in demanding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio release the congressionally mandated 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report, which was due to Congress on June 30 and is critical to combatting the scourge of human trafficking.
The report comes from the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP), which recently fired over 70 percent of the human trafficking prevention staff due to reductions in force and other personnel policy changes.
Given this purge of anti-trafficking experts, the lawmakers also requested updated information on the current staffing and resources available to J/TIP to fulfill its statutory duties under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. They emphasized that these significant staff cuts pose serious challenges to the international effort to monitor and combat human trafficking crimes.
Harvey’s Wins ‘Taste of F.C.’ People’s Choice Award
Saturday, Sept. 13 — Harvey’s Restaurant once again came away with the overall People’s Choice award at the annual Taste of Falls Church today held in conjunction with the City ‘s annual Fall Festival that drew thousands on a warm end-of-summer day.
Sweet Rice won best individual dish for its mango and sticky rice offering and Beat Bakery for best overall menu of options for the samplings of items offered at $3 to the public.
F.C. Schools Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer
The Falls Church School Board has welcomed Ms. Alicia Prince as our new Chief Operating Officer, starting September 22nd.
Ms. Prince brings experience from large school districts, including roles as Chief of Staff and Interim COO, plus advanced degrees from the Broad Center, Villanova, and Hampton University. Most importantly, she shares a commitment to collaborative excellence and prioritizing students’ needs.
She succeeds Kristen Michael in this key leadership role that supports everything from our daily operations to long-term planning. We’re excited about the fresh energy and collaborative spirit she’ll bring to Team FCCPS!
Sept. 19 is National Concussion Awareness Day
Friday, September 19 is National Concussion Awareness Day. Some facts on concussion:
A concussion is defined as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which can occur with or without a direct blow to the head and/or body, and may or may not result in loss of consciousness.
Concussions can be the result of athletic activities and sports, work accidents, motor vehicle accidents, or falls.
Experts estimate that 1 to 3 million concussions happen each year in the U.S.
Brain injury is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the U.S.
Causes by Age Group:
Children and Youth (5-19 years): Sports and transportation incidents are the most common causes of TBIs.
Adults (20-64 years): Falls and transport incidents are the leading causes of TBIs in this age group.
Older Adults (65+ years): Falls are overwhelmingly the most common cause of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths in older adults
MedStar Health’s Concussion Clinic has providers available for interviews on concussion awareness who can discuss:
How to identify a concussion
What to do if you suspect concussion
Concussion protocol, e.g. do patients need to be kept awake?
Can concussion be prevented?
Concussion prevention:
Adults and kids should wear helmets while biking, skiing, snowboarding and other high-risk sports.
Fall prevention education, especially for older adults.
Wear a seatbelt not just in your car but also in every Uber/Lyft/Taxi.
St. James Hosts Nun Fun Run on Saturday
The St. James Nun Fun Run 2025 will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., starting with stretching at 7:45 a.m. and the race promptly at 8:00 a.m. This family-friendly event celebrates its 20th anniversary and supports Camilla Hall, a retirement home for the IHM Sisters. You can register, purchase shirts, or donate through the link provided on the event’s registration page: sjsptova.ejoinme.org.
Road Closures for the Nun Fun Run
The City of Falls Church Sherriff and Police Departments advise drivers about road closures on Saturday, September 20, 2025, for the Saint James Nun Fun Run.
Road closures and parking restrictions in the City and along the W&OD Trail will be in place from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The streets noted below will be closed.
Oak Street at Park Avenue • North Lee Street at Oak Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue at Park Avenue • Fulton Avenue
Great Falls Street at W&OD Bike Path • Oak Street at W&OD Bike Path
Spring Street at W&OD Bike Path • West Street at W&OD Bike Path
Park Avenue at West Street • Spring Street at Park Avenue
The City of Falls Church Sherriff and Police Departments appreciate the public’s cooperation with the road closures, helping to ensure the safety of the race participants and volunteers. Roads will reopen at approximately 9 a.m.
