Falls Church, DOJ Reach Agreement on Removing Voting Rights Act Preclearance from City

In 30 days, the City of Falls Church will no longer have to get permission from DOJ to make voting district changes.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the City of Falls Church have reached an agreement to avoid the preclearance measure of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. David Bjerke, general registrar for the city, said he was notified Thursday about the agreement. The agreement goes into effect 30 days from last Thursday, Bjerke said. With the agreement, the city could rearrange voting districts without first having to go through the DOJ. The DOJ checked the last 10 years of voter election results to determine if there was any proof of discrimination as part of the process to have the preclearance removed. “As of Thursday, we no longer have to ask the DOJ for preclearance,” Bjerke said. “We still have to adhere to the rest of the Voting Rights Act of …

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Prescription Take Back, Bicycle Registration in Falls Church Today

With bicycle thefts up in the City of Falls Church this year, you can register your bike for free.

Is Beyer Kia Putting a New Attraction Across From the Pigs?

What do you think is in the box in front of Beyer Kia on Broad Street?

So the pigs in front of the Don Beyer Volvo on West Broad Street in Falls Church have been a landmark in the city for years but will they have company soon? Just across the way from the famous pig statue, a large white box in front of the Beyer Kia is collecting guesses from locals pondering what’s inside. Michael Beyer, owner and president of the auto group, said he’s not saying what if anything is inside. He said people will have to wait until May 3 around 5:30 p.m. to find out. “I told the city manager it was a statue of me dumping money down the storm drain,” Beyer joked Tuesday. The large box, covered in white boards with dry-erase markers, has some interesting guesses written on it. Beyer said people are guessing all kinds of off the…

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Falls Church’s $75.5 Million FY14 Budget Addresses Schools, Stormwater

Schools will receive $33.7 million from city.

City Council adopted a $75.5 million fiscal year 2014 budget Monday night for the City of Falls Church that will fully fund the school board’s request of $33.7 million. The budget has a real estate tax increase of 3.5 cents increasing the current rate of $1.27 to $1.305 per $100 of assessed value. The FY14 budget begins July 1. “The FY14 budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) are the product of a great deal of discussion and work and meets the community’s demand for outstanding government and school services,” Mayor Nader Baroukh said in a press release. “It meets the council’s policy objectives including strengthening economic development and providing greater resources for infrastructure improvements to address items such as …

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Falls Church Rounding Out Participants for Memorial Day Parade

The city expects between 10,000 and 15,000 attendees at the 32nd Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival.

For the last 32 years, people have come out to the City of Falls Church Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival. Jenny Paxton, senior program supervisor for special events in the city’s Recreation and Parks department said between 10,000 and 15,000 people attend the event each year. The parade’s participation list isn’t completed but Paxton said they expect 65 groups. “The Memorial Day Parade and Festival, along with all other city special events, are funded out of the operating budget of the Recreation and Parks Department,” Paxton said. While the list of participants may not be complete, Audrey Luthman and Janet Haines have been named co Grand Marshals of the parade. The parade and festival will go from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. on May 27 at…

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Lincoln Park in Falls Church Getting Facelift

The project will be completed by May 4 and will feature ADA compliant play equipment, tables and benches.

After a teen plowed into the playground at Lincoln Park in July, a new one will be in place by May 4. Falls Church City workers started installing the new ADA compliant play equipment April 1. City Council cleared the way for the $181,337 project during their Feb. 11 meeting. The project is funded by money from insurance after the accident and existing park improvements funds left from the fiscal year 2013 budget. A teen slammed a car into the park after he lost control of the vehicle on July 31 causing an undetermined amount of damage. Falls Church City Police charged the teen with improper control, and he was released to his family. Keep up with Falls Church news and events with the Patch email newsletter. Learn more here! 

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Falls Church City Council Work Session Tuesday Instead of Tonight

Meeting rescheduled because of scheduling conflict.

Instead of holding its regularly scheduled work session Monday at 7:30 p.m., the Falls Church City Council will meet Tuesday night. The meeting was rescheduled because of a scheduling conflict. The meeting will still be held in the Dogwood Room in City Hall. To view the meeting agenda, click here.

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SPEAK OUT: Is FCCPS Asking for Too Much from the City?

With increasing enrollment, should the city give more to the schools?

Phyllis Kravinsky doesn’t believe the Falls Church City Public Schools Board is asking for to much in its proposed $41.4 million 2014 budget. Kravinsky, a teacher at Mount Daniel Elementary School in the city and the mother of two George Mason High students, believes the money is necessary to continue teaching the expanding student enrollment. At Monday’s City Council meeting, she said it’s her job to give students the quality education that her own children received. “I truly believe the budget the school board has presented represents the enrollment growth,” she said to council. The school board has proposed the $43.6 million budget with a $33.6 million transfer from the city for the coming fiscal year. For FY13, FCCPS received a $29.9 …

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Cary Frostick Named 2012 Employee of the Year in Falls Church

Frostick credited with managing most successful summer reading program in Mary Riley Styles Library history in 2012.

Cary Frostick beat out five other nominees for the 2012 City of Falls Church Employee of the Year. Frostick, Youth Services supervisor at the Mary Riley Styles Library, held 31 book discussions at the alternative Horizons Day School, 17 story times at the Shire School for autistic and communication-challenged, coordination of the new Early Literacy Activity Center from the Library of Virginia and a number of year-round programs for children and teens. She will be honored at a public reception Monday at Cherry Hill Farmhouse. The award will be presented to Frostick that evening at the City Council meeting in. “Cary promotes literacy, inspires the love of reading, and encourages learning and respect for diversity in the Library’s young …

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