F.C. Planners Mull New Park Avenue Project
A plan to consolidate and then subdivide three parcels in Falls Church to build 15 townhomes was on the agenda for the Falls Church Planning Commission at its scheduled meeting Tuesday night. The commission was due to be briefed on Madison Homes’ plans for the parcels at 701, 703 and 705 Park Ave., a total of 0.7 acres currently occupied by Case Design and EcoNize Closets and Blinds. The developer has proposed replacing those buildings with three-level townhouses plus lofts, ranging in size from 1,197 to 1,769 square feet. Each would have a one- or two-car garage, with vehicular access via N. Lee Street. It would be the third new residential project begun on Park Avenue since the Falls Church City Council voted to permit such uses in the city’s transitional zones.
Benton, Chibbaro Set to Speak at D.C. Event Jan. 8
A celebration honoring Falls Church News-Press founder Nicholas Benton and Washington Blade senior reporter Lou Chibbaro Jr., two trailblazing LGBTQ+ journalists, will be held Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Women’s National Democratic Club in Washington. The event will take place at 6 p.m. at the club, located at 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. From covering the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ+ communities to chronicling major milestones in the fight for civil rights, Benton and Chibbaro have spent decades reporting on the front lines of social, cultural, legal and political change in America. Benton is a longtime local journalist and LGBTQ+ rights activist whose work has had a lasting impact on both community journalism and social justice. Author of the first-ever editorial in the pioneering Gay Sunshine newspaper in 1970, he is best known as the founder, owner and editor of the Falls Church News-Press, an independent weekly newspaper he launched in 1991. The paper is the newspaper of record for Falls Church. Chibbaro is a senior news reporter for the Washington Blade and a pioneer in LGBTQ+ news coverage. He has reported on the LGBTQ+ rights movement continuously since 1976, first as a freelance writer and later as a staff reporter. He joined the Blade in 1984.
Poncy Nominated for Broadway World Awards
John Poncy has been nominated for three D.C.-region Broadway World Awards this year, including for his role in Falls Church’s Creative Cauldron production of The Turn of the Screw last fall, when he played the sinister Miles. He has also been nominated twice for his work as director and choreographer of Spring Awakening at Stars Performing Arts.
Domino’s Set to Open New F.C. Site on S. Washington
Domino’s Pizza is set to open a new location on S. Washington Street. While the company has not revealed an exact opening date, signage is already up at the site. When the restaurant opens, according to permitting paperwork, it will accommodate 12 seats for indoor dining and will be open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight.
New Challenger to Run Against Beyer in June Primary
Another Democratic challenger is seeking to unseat longtime Rep. Don Beyer in this year’s election. Daniel Gray, an Arlington resident and an energy and sustainability program manager, announced this week that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District. The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 16. Other declared candidates include former Alexandria City Council member Mo Seifeldein, Michael Duffin, a State Department worker who was terminated in July, and Adam Dunigan.
Southern Living Magazine Profiles ‘Sweet’ Falls Church
The title of a piece in the current issue of Southern Living is “We’re Obsessed With This Sweet Northern Virginia Town Located Just 30 Minutes From D.C.” Author T.M. McKay cites 15 things people should do in Falls Church: 1. Meet locals at the weekly farmers market. 2. Explore Vietnamese culture at the Eden Center. 3. See the historic Falls Church. 4. Book a night at The Meeting House. 5. Shop the stores downtown. 6. Visit Cherry Hill Farmhouse. 7. Sit for a spell at Mr. Brown’s Park. 8. Have unlimited brunch at The Falls. 9. Grab a pint at Audacious Aleworks. 10. Have Michelin-quality food at Ellie Bird. 11. Reconsider Vietnamese cuisine at Nue. 12. See live music at The State Theatre. 13. Learn about Black history at Tinner Hill. 14. Bike on the W&OD Trail. 15. Have lunch at Clare & Don’s Beach Shack.
New Position Filled at Falls Church Episcopal
Lauren Breeden has accepted an appointment as director of family ministries and formation at The Falls Church Episcopal, Rector the Rev. Burl Salmon reported this week. “Her study at Virginia Theological Seminary has only strengthened her call to lay ministry, and she lives out that call at The Falls Church with love for and dedication to our youngest community members,” Salmon wrote. “With my full support and encouragement, she serves as a resource for other formation leaders within our diocese and beyond, and her service to the larger church is a credit to this community.”
Rezoning Seeks to Replace Pistone’s, Grand Mart
A rezoning application submitted last week calls for the replacement of Pistone’s Italian restaurant and the New Grand Mart adjacent to it with a large-scale residential mixed-use project. The 3.15-acre site, adjacent to the city of Falls Church in Fairfax County, is owned by Eakin Properties, which began advancing the redevelopment plan in 2022. Fairfax County plans for a new “ring road” around Seven Corners delayed action on the submission, but the road project has since moved to the back burner.
Mark Levine Announces Candidacy For Seat Vacated Today by Ebbin
Former Virginia State Delegate Mark Levine, who served six years in the legislature before losing a bid for higher office in 2022, announced late Wednesday that he will seek to occupy the seat in the State Senate being vacated by Sen. Adam Ebbin’s appointment by Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as a senior advisor to the governor’s Cannabis Control Authority. Ebbin announced his appointment and resignation from his state senate post earlier Wednesday.
No date for an election to fill Ebbin’s vacated seat has yet been set.
