Recently at the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce candidate forumTwo candidates running in the City Council special election were asked about this hypothetical situation.

“If you were given $50 million, how would you use it to improve transportation in the city?”

Contestants Laura Downs and John Murphy took different paths.

“Improve our pedestrian experience,” was the succinct response from Murphy, the former chairman of the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals.

Efforts to do this can be made in conjunction with: planned bus-rapid transportation project In his speech at the forum, Murphy said that this line will pass through Falls Church, which will connect Tysons to Alexandria in the coming years.

“I would love to have a free bus or shuttle (running on Broad Street) from one end of town to the other,” said Downs, the former president of the city’s School Board.

“Bring back George,” someone in the back of the room shouted, referring to the beloved city microbus system that operated from 2002 to 2010 and connected the East Falls Church and West Falls Church Metro stations through the city’s central core.

council members turn off that service in 2010 to help balance their budget, according to news reports at the time. But if Downs wins and wants to revive something similar, he might have an ally.

Council member David Snyder, who served as deputy mayor in 2010, voted against shutting down the service, calling it a shortsighted move by city leaders.

Downs and Murphy are trying to fill out the final year of a resigned Council member’s term. This is the only Council seat on the ballot on November 5.

Demand for Digital Products Increases in the City Library: Print is still king for now, but the digital revolution is accelerating in Falls Church Mary Riley Styles Library.

According to figures presented to the city’s Library Board of Trustees, circulation of physical materials in September increased modestly year-over-year by 1.6%, to 26,479, while circulation of digital materials increased by 25.5%, from 10,737 to 13,471, compared to the same period last year. rose. year.

Falls Church is not alone. Local and nationwide regions are seeing increases in demand for digital copies of materials.

Also library systems finding difficulties in sourcing materialsin part because of the way publishers charge for these materials compared to print editions.

Recent weeks have also seen the arrival of new Falls Church library director Megan Dotzler, who comes from a position in neighboring Arlington. Selected from 22 applications.

A year before Dotzler’s arrival, Marshall Webster served as acting director of the city library.

City Ready to Sign Winter Shelter Agreement: of Falls Church lonely winter shelter For those living on the streets, it will operate normally with an addition in 2024-25.

City Council members next Monday, Oct. 28, will be hearing about Friends of Falls Church Homeless Shelter Inc., a nonprofit that financially supports shelter operations. It is expected to approve an agreement with

The winter shelter, located on state-owned property at 217 Gordon Road, will be open from 6pm to 8am each night from November 15 through March 30. In extreme weather conditions, hours may be extended if approved by the Municipality. Coach Wyatt Shields.

New for 2024-2025: In addition to being open 24 hours a day on Thanksgiving and Christmas as usual, the shelter will also be open 24 hours a day on New Year’s Day.

The shelter can accommodate a maximum of 10 men and two women per night. According to city officials, a total of 28 people took shelter here in the 2023-24 season.

In addition to sleeping accommodations, the facility also provides meals, showers, counseling and life skills classes.

The Friends of Falls Church Homeless Shelter collects about $110,000 a year, according to filings with the IRS. It contracts with New Hope Housing to provide professional management of the facility.