Article Text
Falls Church Restaurant Week will continue through Sunday, Feb. 8, after a recent snowstorm disrupted the event’s original schedule.
Organizer Tricia Barba, who owns Preservation Biscuit Company, announced the extension Jan. 26. Of the more than 60 participating restaurants, 44 chose to remain part of the event for the additional week.
The Passport Challenge has also been extended. Diners can obtain a passport at Clare & Don’s, Dominion Wine & Beer, Harvey’s or Preservation Biscuit Company, or print one at home. Participants who collect stamps from at least eight restaurants and submit their passports by Monday, Feb. 9, will enter a drawing for one of three $100 gift cards.
Salim Proposes Restrictions Related to ICE
Virginia state Sen. Saddam Salim of the 37th District is backing three bills intended to limit certain immigration-enforcement practices in the commonwealth.
Salim announced the measures in a Jan. 26 statement issued amid national controversy over federal immigration operations and the deaths of two people during recent protests in Minneapolis. He characterized the incidents as state violence and argued that government agencies and officials must remain accountable under the law.
SB351 would prohibit some civil arrests, including arrests by federal immigration agents, in or around state courthouses. The proposal is intended to protect parties, witnesses and family members attending court by requiring a reviewed judicial warrant for an arrest.
SB352 would generally prevent on-duty law-enforcement officers from covering their faces, subject to limited exceptions. It calls for penalties, possible civil liability and the development of a model policy.
SB783 would establish conditions for written agreements allowing Virginia or local law-enforcement personnel to perform immigration-officer functions. Those provisions would expire June 30, 2028.
The bill would also expand data collection under the Virginia Community Policing Act. Agencies would record whether a federal immigration officer was present during an investigatory traffic stop, stop-and-frisk or other investigatory stop, as well as whether that officer took an action that would violate state law if not performed under federal authority.
FCPS Brings Virtual-Reality Career Training Into Homes
Fairfax County Public Schools Adult and Community Education has launched virtual-reality courses designed to prepare Northern Virginia residents for manufacturing and skilled-trades careers.
The program combines instructor-led online lessons with guided VR simulations. Students receive headsets and controls that allow them to practice job-related tasks at home in simulated manufacturing environments.
Available career pathways include mechatronics, manual and CNC machining, robotics, welding, toolmaking, process technology, engineering, maintenance and quality inspection. Additional courses are expected as industry needs change.
The initiative is aimed at expanding flexible, practical training while helping regional employers address a shortage of skilled workers.
Library’s Digital Archive Opens a Window on Historic Falls Church
The Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s new digital archive features more than 700 catalogued historical photographs, including images of the Falls Church area dating to the late 19th century.
Among the featured works are photographs by Quentin R. Porter, who lived from 1918 to 1982 and operated Porter Studios on Broad Street from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Porter documented businesses, schools, clubs, community events, vehicle crashes and other scenes across Northern Virginia. He also produced passport photographs.
A larger Fairfax County collection contains more than 66,000 negatives Porter created while operating his studio from 1943 to 1977.