Given its small size of 2.1 square miles, it’s no wonder that the Little City of Falls Church has fostered such a close knit community. While the “issue” of being “queer” (a generic reference to homosexual that is meant in a non-derogatory sense) has persisted in various churches for decades, local churches in the City have made it a mission to be more inclusive and open to people, regardless of who they are.

Falls Church’s newest City Council member, voted in last November and now engaged in her first in-person meetings at City Hall, Caroline Lian has lived in the Falls Church community since 2006, marrying into a family that has had roots here for even longer and starting her family.

Despite the chilly weather conditions, dozens of Falls Church residents showed up outside of the Tinner Hill Arch on Monday afternoon to Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation’s Annual Rally and Program to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Yet another talented and dedicated woman has advanced in a leadership role in the City of Falls Church. Last week, the News-Press profiled the outstanding contributions of Deputy City Manager Cindy Mester. This week features long-time City staffer Dana Lewis.

Finding someone more passionate about city government than Cindy Mester would be difficult. She began working for the City of Falls Church in 2005 and has since moved into the role of Deputy City Manager, a role that includes a wide range of duties which she describes as “facilitating, collaborating and negotiating.”

Members of Kettler, the management company of the Fields Apartments, home to a large number of residents benefiting from a deal to ensure affordable rental rates there in the last decade, were set to come before the City Council in November to address ongoing issues of mold, mice and other problems faced by tenants. However, they never made an appearance.