xxxx xx INSIDE: Local jobs picture improves • Pages 8 & 9 NEW DULLES CAMPUS Give Your Child a Competitive Advantage On-Campus Classes 3 10 16 Five Days A Week BASEBALL SQUAD PARK LANGLEY K4 -12th Grade DOES ITS PART AUTHORITY AND OAKTON FOR CHRISTMAS- CHIEF SET SHOULD BE 703-759-5100 TREE EFFORTS TO RETIRE CONTENDERS www.FairfaxChristianSchool.com Sun Gazette GREAT FALLS McLEAN OAKTON TYSONS VIENNA VOLUME 42 NO. 9 DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 City Status for McLean? It Could Be in Cards MCA Aims to Move Forward with Study of Pros, Cons of Split from Fairfax BRIAN TROMPETER ‘WALK OF LIGHT’ ROLLS ON DESPITE COVID Sta Writer It wouldn’t be easy, inexpensive or likely politically popular with Fairfax County ofcials, but McLean Citizens Association (MCA) board members said Dec. 2 they would like to explore the idea of making McLean a city. The state law that for more than three decades has prohibited the incorpora- tion of new cities, expires in 2024. MCA president Robert Jackson broached the topic of whether McLean might want to separate from Fairfax County after that expiration date. Jackson suggested, and the board concurred, that MCA in January should form a community-wide committee to examine the feasibility and desirability of doing so. The Virginia Commission on Local Government may be able to assist in that effort, he added. “I know a lot of people sometimes – and I’m one of them – feel that Fairfax County’s just so big that it’s hard for the county government to be responsive to various communities in the county,” he said. “There [are] issues of some frus- tration. It’s not that we expect to get our way all of the time, but there have been some issues raised.” Recent topics of concern among McLean residents have included plan- ning efforts for the Community Busi- ness Center, McLean High School over- crowding and lack of trail and street Giant mushrooms and owers are among the many attractions at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens’ “Winter Walk of Light” display, which runs maintenance by the Virginia Depart- through Jan. 3. See a story and more photos on Page 4, and a link to a slide show from the event at https://sungazette.news/photos. PHOTO BY BRIAN TROMPETER Continued on Page 19 ONLINE https://sungazette.news l On Facebook: sungazettenews l On Twitter: @sungazettenews @sungazettespts Local Postal Customer Postal Local Happy Holidays Text SUNGAZETTE to from the Sun Gazette Staff, & thanks for 22828 to sign up for your support and loyalty! weekly & weekend PERMIT NO. 260 NO. PERMIT EASTON, MD EASTON, PAID E-editions. 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The biggest load of trees It was great experience getting Within minutes, the heavy came for the Lions Club Sat- everyone together. We all got to fraser rs are safely unloaded urday morning, Nov. 28, via an see each other working fast and by eagerly-awaiting members open-bed truck, stopping near hard.” of the James Madison High the Walgreens store on Maple Madison alumni often help School baseball program. Avenue. The off load, which out as well. Former Madison For 25 years now, that has had a handful of seniors on top player Chris Polymoroupolis, been an early-morning routine of the truck handing the trees Preparations get under way to unload Christmas trees for the Vienna Lions a freshman catcher at Roanoke and a community-service tra- down to players waiting below, and Optimist clubs. The James Madison High School baseball team does it. College, participated in the dition provided by the players began at 7:15 a.m. and took down to players on the ground. good job. We were efcient.” Christmas tree unload for four and coaching staff to help the the players just 38 minutes to “It was harder work than Gjormand said the project years, and was hoping to do so Vienna Lions and Optimist empty. (The team record is 29 it looked. I was gassed having works as a dual purpose for his again this fall. clubs. Once the trees are un- minutes.) to wrestle with those trees,” players. “It was a great way for us loaded, they are set up for sale. “It was a championship ef- Schoberline said. “I was one “Many a Madison baseball to give back to the community This year, the off load oc- fort by them,” Madison head of the players on the ground player over the years have been and it was a great team-bond- curred the mornings of Nov. baseball coach Mark Gjormand the last three years watching on top of that open truck un- ing experience,” Polymorou- 27 and 28 and involved some said. “The Lions and Optimists people up top, and it didn’t loading trees,” Gjormand said. polis said. “The seniors would 35 mask-wearing players from are great people in this town. It seem like they were working “It’s a great tradition, a good lead the way, getting inside or Madison’s varsity and junior was a little different unloading that hard. But I guess I learned team-building and community on top of the truck and get an varsity teams. this year [because of COVID]. otherwise.” thing for us, and the players assembly line going. We would “If we didn’t have those It took a little longer, but we Madison senior Colin Tuft love doing it. The clubs are unload quickly, efciently and boys doing this, we wouldn’t got it done.” was working the trees for the unbelievably grateful for our safely. Then we’d go somewhere have trees or we would have to Madison senior player Ty- rst time. help.” afterward for a team break- hire people to unload them,” ler Schoberline was one of the “It was fun and hard work, The project is optional for fast.” said 90-year- old longtime Li- players on top of the truck cut- a 100-percent good experi- the players, but Madison senior Jessup, a former Little ons club member and former ting open nets around trees, ence,” Tuft said. “They put us James Triantos explained oth- president Jess Jessup, who be- then lifting and handing them to work. I think we did a really erwise. Continued on Page 19 A FREE, DRIVE-THRU FAMILY EVENT! rakffas with ant(To o!) SATURDAY, DECEMBER — : A Caring Assisted Living Retirement Community Your kids can safely chat with Santa Claus without ever getting out of the car. Plus, enjoy a yummy breakfast to go (one per 703-531-0781 | chesterbrookres.org child) compliments of your friends at Chesterbrook Residences! 2030 Westmoreland St. | Falls Church RSVPs are appreciated, but not required. Call --. A nonprofit, nondenominational community sponsored by Chesterbrook Residences, Inc. Reminder: this will be the last day to drop o donations for our toy Coordinated Services Management, Inc. and clothing drive benetting Seven Corners Children's Center. Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981. sungazette.news December 10, 2020 3 Winter Wonderland of Lights at Botanical Gardens Annual Festivities Continue in Downscaled Format Due to COVID-19 BRIAN TROMPETER Sta Writer First-time visitors to the an- nual “Winter Walk of Light” at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna probably feel the way tour participants did upon being shown Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. After presenting their tickets at the visitor center, they step into an almost visually overwhelming burst of colorful lights, which adorn everything from trees and statuary to bridges and the park’s lakeside gazebo. Animal designs feature prom- inently in the show, and tour hosts encourage families to spot all of them and check their nd- ings off a list. There’s a beehive with lights moving in an out of it to repre- sent its occupants and another hive perched just out of the reach of a bear standing on its hind legs. Geese, squirrels, rabbits, foxes and a massive buttery – perfect for photos with people standing in its center – also populate the hilly, nearly 0.6-mile-long trail. Workers began stringing lights for the Winter Walk of Light at Mead- Christmas trees also dot the owlark Botanical Gardens over the landscape, as do oversized light- summer, adding new features for ed mushrooms and owers. Visi- 2020. See a slide show of additional tors pass along a path framed photos at https://sungazette.news/ by light-covered split-rail fences, photos.