I wanted to call out the logical fallacy printed in Shirley Connuck’s letter to the editor published online on 1/18/21 as a classic example of the fallacy of relative privation. Just because someone else somewhere else has it worse (in this case 30 cents per bag vs our 5 cents per bag) doesn’t mean that the problem at hand is not a problem. Would she say the same thing about a much more serious issue such as clean water for example? “Where I lived in country xyz we had to drink bottled water and couldn’t use tap so people in Flint, MI should just stop complaining.”

We moved to Falls Church City in part for the excellent schools, which has been the case. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, our school system has been a beacon of stability in this turbulent time. We are known for our small class sizes and baccalaureate program. However, we and many concerned parents were surprised to see that FCCPS were the odd man out with our surrounding school systems on whether or not to lift masks. Falls Church City always says it will be in synch with our sister school systems of Fairfax and Arlington counties. We have done that with school calendars and other major decisions. Yet when it is time to take a stand and defend the health of our students, teachers, and community, we said we had to think about it and will decide later.

This past Monday, my planned 20 minute walk turned into an hour as I marveled at the beauty of northern Virginia covered in snow, including street signs. So yes, I missed a turn and got lost. When I got home, I turned on the lights and a heater. My day went on. All the energy I’m using this week will taunt me during next month’s utility bill.

I read in the FCNP that there will be a tax on plastic bags come April, and they will cost 5 cents each.

We recently had an opportunity to visit several apartments at the Fields of Falls Church. We were stunned to see evidence of significant rodent infestation (dead mice on sticky strips), mold on the walls of the bedrooms, old and barely functioning appliances and broken doors and cabinets.

Del. Korys’ Richmond Report did an excellent job of summarizing Virginia Democrats’ views toward parents in the commonwealth. To anyone not following the education issue closely, it may come as a surprise that parents are being condemned for being concerned about 1) Lasting effects of the pandemic school closures, 2) Children being taught racial bigotry in the classroom (under the guise of Critical Race Theory —CRT), and 3) An incident that happened in the Loudoun schools unfit to reprint in a family newspaper that both the school and press have worked tirelessly to cover up.

Thank you Falls Church City!

As I read the article in the News-Press last week entitled, “Watch Night to Return The NYE”, I couldn’t help but get a sense that Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation gets little credit for the significant role Tinner Hill has contributed to many of the community programs that make up the fabric of the Little City.

Thank you so much for your article on the new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)! I too have wondered why there hasn’t been more coverage given the potential for such amazing findings. Perhaps it has to do with the astonishing fact that even if we find intelligent life, simply communicating with them will not be simple. With our few very closest stars over four light years away, it would be a minimum of eight and a half years before we would even get a response from this intelligent life.

My wife tried to dust the chandelier in our entranceway and the small cone around the light chain dropped down two inches from the ceiling. I couldn’t tell if it was just a decorative challenge or if the light itself might fall on a grandchild and nobody wants to be known as the grandpa who damaged a grandchild through negligence.