Mark Warner Announces Bid For a 3rd U.S. Senate Term
Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner announced Tuesday that he is officially running for a third six-year term this coming year. He was quickly endorsed by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Falls Church’s 8th District.
In his announcing statement, Warner said, “I’ve always been focused on what’s next, on what’s on the horizon. I started a cell phone company back when everyone was still using landlines. When I was first elected governor, it was on the promise to move Virginia forward. And we did. And in the Senate, I’ve been focused on the challenges our country faces next: Expanding broadband and economic opportunity to rural America, preparing our intelligence communities for 21st-century threats in our increasingly interconnected world. and standing up to Trump’s policies that raise prices and gut health care while he hands massive tax breaks to billionaires.”
Major Holiday Events On Tap in F.C. This Week
Starting Friday, a host of festive events are in store for Falls Church, kicked off by the start Friday of the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Santamobile tradition, where a firetruck with Santa atop, holiday music and volunteers handing out candy will proceed through neighborhoods during evening hours.
Then, there is the annual Treefest event outside at the Ireland’s Four Provinces Saturday and Sunday, run by the Village Preservation and Improvement Society, and the annual craft fair the same days run by the City of Falls Church at the Community Center.
Choir groups from Meridian High School will be roving the Little City to sing on Saturday morning, and the F.C. Chamber of Commerce has produced an online shopping guide. Rep. Don Beyer has published a list of food banks for families in need.
VPIS Tree Fest
VPIS is hosting the 10th Annual Tree Fest at Ireland’s Four Provinces this weekend. The public can silent auction bid on 4 foot Christmas trees benefitting local non-profits and vote in the People’s Choice awards for the best decorated tree in several different categories.
The fest runs Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a./m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when bidding closes and the trees are awarded to the winners.
VFD Santamobile
The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department’s Santamobile starts its rounds this Friday, Dec. 5, and proceeds each night starting at 6:30 p.m.
The Santamobile will be visiting neighborhoods in the City of Falls Church and the nearby areas of Arlington and Fairfax County.
During its visits, volunteers will be handing out winter safety tips and candy canes. The public is urged to stay on the sidewalk and greet our volunteers curbside.
The Santamobile Schedule: Dec. 5, south of W. Broad in St. James Cemetery and Virginia Forest neighborhoods up to and including Seaton Lane and S. Oak south of the Tripps Run Bridge; Dec. 6, north of W. Broad Street including Little Falls Street; Dec. 7, south of W. Broad in the Winter Hill and Virginia Forest neighborhoods south of Seaton Lane — also includes streets north of the Tripps Run Bridge (Hillier, S Oak, Lee, Rees, Chanel); Dec. 8, the Little Falls neighborhood and streets east of Washington Street including the Madison Park and Whittier Park neighborhoods; Dec. 9, Broadmont neighborhood and streets on the north side of Hillwood east of Cherry Street; Dec. 10, areas of Fairfax county; Dec. 11: Areas of Arlington and Williamsburg; Dec. 12, 13, areas of Arlington and East Falls Church.
Craft Show
The annual Holiday Gift and Craft Show presented by Livewell Animal Hospital Falls Church, along with Children’s Holiday Shoppe, will be held at the Community Center, 223 Little Falls St., on Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7.
Admission to both craft show days and the Children’s Shoppe is free, with 50 local crafters and merchants selling handmade items, baked goods, and unique holiday gifts. The event is open on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Live holiday performances from local Falls Church City Public Schools student musicians and singers, multiple daily raffles, and the Kids’ Corner with holiday crafts and treats are featured.
The Children’s Holiday Shoppe, hosted by the Friends of Cherry Hill, is a sweet holiday tradition open on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located in the Community Center, volunteers help chi ldren select gifts for $6 or less for friends and family. Sales at the shoppe are cash and check only, with free gift wrapping available.
The Farmers Market will also be taking place Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Meridian High’s Belouad Named ‘Food Hero’
Adam Belouad, 19, of Meridian High in Falls Church, has been named one of Hormel Foods’ national top 10 under age 20 “food heroes.”
Adam serves as the executive director of Hand to Hunger, a nonprofit that works to combat food insecurity by bringing students and corporations together to provide meals for those in need. Together with some friends, he started a weekly tradition of cooking warm meals for a local homeless shelter. This weekly tradition grew from 30 bagged lunches to 4,000 meals by the third month and now has grown into a global community of tens of thousands of volunteers. Hand to Hunger has served over 220,000 meals and mobilized 62,500 student volunteers.
F.C. Based Levine Music Hosts Concert Saturday
Levine Presents, a concert series showcasing the exceptional faculty artists of the new Falls Church-based Levine Music School takes place at its new West Falls campus. Sound and Fury is a powerful program of 20th-century works shaped by war, exile, and resilience, featuring music by Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev, Poldowski, and César Franck.
Musicians include Holly Nelson, violin, and Luke Ratcliffe, piano. The program includes “Sonata for Violin and Piano in g Minor” — Claude Debussy, “Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in f Minor, Opus 80” — Sergei Prokofiev, “Tango” — Poldowski and “Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major” — César Franck.
The Nutcracker Performed at Meridian H.S. This Weekend
The Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet presents “The Nutcracker,” adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” featuring music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Mark Mejia.
Performances are on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m., at Meridian High School, 121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church, VA 22043. Tickets are $35.
VPIS Donates to F.C. Community Food Pantry
The Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) raised donations over the last few weeks for the Falls Church Community Service Food Pantry. VPIS matched all donations up to $500. As a result of this successful campaign, VPIS delivered a check on last Friday for $1,137.00.