Final Tally Affirms Same Winners in F.C. Election
A counting of 117 provisional ballots completed by the Falls Church City Registrar of Voters office yesterday affirmed that, in the only race not decisively won on Election Day last week, that Kathleen Tysse held her lead over Sharon Mergler in the School Board race and is certified as the winner by a margin of 47 votes.
Registrar David Bjerke confirmed that insofar as the difference between the two candidates was under 1 percent, a petition for a recount would be accepted if filed within 10 days, and the cost for it would fall on the petitioner unless the recount changed the result and she won. Mergler had not responded to the News-Press about whether she would seek a recount as of the deadline for this edition.
Annual ‘Turkey Bowl’ This Friday at Legion Hall
A moveable bowling lane first set up years ago at the American Legion Post 130 Hall at 400 N. Oak will be the focus again this year of the popular annual Frozen Turkey Bowl, open to the public at the hall. The competition will be held this Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. (sign ups at 6 p.m. with a $10 entrance fee). It is sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion.
Organizers report that “real retired Falls Church Bowl America bowling pins, size 10, are used and we bowl with different sized frozen turkeys.” It’s a doubles tournament format for people of all ages and genders and they give prizes for the top two teams and one for the last place finisher. There are door prizes, a 50/50 raffle and food.
The lane is left up for the Boy Scout troop to use on Tuesday night.
A holiday prequel not to be missed.
Tinner Hill Hosts Workshop On ‘Those Who Came Before’
Falls Church’s Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation has extended an invitation to the public to attend a workshop and presentation entitled, “Who Came Before Us on This Land And Why It Matters, Understanding and Acknowledging the Indigenous People of Virginia,” this Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Memorial Hall of the Falls Church Presbyterian Church, 225 E. Broad, at 1 p.m.
The special guest will be Rose Powhatan, renowned artist, historian, and storyteller. She is a descendent of the Pamunkey and Tauxenent (Dogue) Indian Tribes of Virginia and the co-founder and director of the Powhatan Museum of Indigenous Arts and Culture in Washington, D.C. She will talk about the original inhabitants of Falls Church and Fairfax County, what happened to them, how they influenced us, and ways in which we can honor their legacy. Walk-ins are welcome.
Groundbreaking at Phase 3 Of West Falls Set Nov. 3
EYA LLC, Rushmark Properties and Metro announced today the official groundbreaking for the next phase of West Falls, a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood decades in the making and the final phase of a 40-acre master plan that will connect housing, transit and open space at the West Falls Church Metro Station. The event will take place on-site on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Phase One of this grand project is the 10-acre development in Falls Church now operated by the Hoffman Company, Phase Two is the Virginia Tech-controlled portion now under construction and this third and final phase will complete the plan all the way to Metro’s West Falls Church station. The West Falls Station Boulevard will unite all three phases with passage through the center of each extending from Route 7 to the West Falls Church Metro station.
Fairfax Co. Search, Rescue Team Back From Jamaica
Fairfax County’s USA-01 Urban Search and Rescue Team returned Monday, Nov. 10, after completing a nine-day deployment to Jamaica in support of the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Jamaica following widespread impacts from Hurricane Melissa.
The 34-member team, along with four search canines, deployed as a Rapid Assessment Team and conducted wide-area reconnaissance and humanitarian operations across several parishes, including St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. Ann, and Manchester.
‘Falls Church Forward’ Host Bench Building Sunday
Falls Church Forward is hosting a bench building event Sunday, Nov. 16, to build benches to place in bus stops where they don’t currently exist. The event will be at 1 p.m. and organizers will provide the address upon an RSVP.
Nicholas Benton’s Latest Book is Published
Out this week and available online, the Falls Church News-Press’ Nicholas Benton’s latest book of essays is a compilation of 2025 works subsumed under the titles of ‘Please Don’t Eat Your Children’ (the title derived from Jonathan Swift’s satire) and ‘Cult Century’ (describing the current that’s led to Trump). The book title includes a description as “Contributions to Contemporary History.” It is published by BCI Books of Falls Church, Virginia.
It includes a special addendum to the ‘Cult Century’ set where for the first time at some length, Benton addresses his own involvement in a cult, that of the Lyndon LaRouche movement in the 1970s, done as a contribution to the dialogue on cults, in general, the Trump MAGA cult in particular, and how to combat them.
The ‘Please Don’t Eat’ series addresses society’s dominant impulse to transform the life-affirming and creative impulses of youth into the dull conformity of adulthood, and how to address that pervasive problem.
Fairfax Schools Community Ed Announces Scholarships
The Fairfax County Public Schools Adult and Community Education program (FCPS ACE) that empowers individuals to build brighter futures with accessible and affordable workforce development and training programs, announces that a scholarship for current and prospective FCPS ACE Apprenticeship students is now open for application, with increased opportunities to award more scholarships this spring.
This fall, the program awarded nearly $35,000 in scholarships to apprenticeship students. The FCPS ACE Apprenticeship program reached full enrollment for its Level 1 Fall classes, and additional class sections were opened to accommodate demand, and is positioned to award up to $40,000 in scholarships for the upcoming spring term.
The program aims to assist low-income adults residing or employed in Fairfax County who are pursuing careers in the trades. This scholarship is available to both current and prospective FCPS ACE Apprenticeship students and is awarded twice annually
