F.C. Ellie Bird Restaurant Named Region’s ‘Best New’

Ellie Bird in Falls Church was honored as the “Best New Restaurant of the Year” among the 2024 Restaurant Association of the D.C. Region’s RAMMY Awards this week. The Falls Church Office of Economic Development hailed the news, saying the restaurant “is celebrated as a standout in the City, winning over diners with its innovative menu and inviting ambiance. This new gem in our Little City has established a lofty culinary excellence and creativity standard.” The restaurant blends contemporary European and Asian cuisines.

Other RAMMY winners nearby Falls Church included Fava Pot just outside the City on Route 29, an Egyptian restaurant that won an award for Favorite Fast Bites, and Colada Shop, a Caribbean spot with a location in Merrifield’s Mosaic District, which was named the area’s Hottest Sandwich Shop. Also, the team behind the Tex-Mex restaurant Ometeo in Tysons, was honored with a Restaurateur of the Year award.

The awards were presented at the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala, which was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.

Levine Music & City Dance Sign On at West Falls

Hoffman and Associates has announced this week that the Levine Music and CityDance Studios have signed on to the growing West Falls neighborhood, burgeoning 10 acres at the City’s west end.

The 8,000-square-foot Levine Music location and the 5,000-square-foot CityDance Studios location will occupy the ground-floor retail space of The Oak condominiums at 255 West Falls Church Blvd.

Both Levine Music and CityDance Studios are slated to open in January 2025, adding to the wide variety of community offerings in the dynamic West Falls neighborhood adjacent Meridian High School and Henderson Middle School.

F.C.’s Westergard Announces Retirement from Aerial Imaging

F.C. resident and business person Curt Westergard will be retiring and selling his aerial imaging firm, he announced this week.

He has logged 25 years of aerially analyzing and documenting the growth of F.C., Manhattan and San Francisco. His business, specialized inventions and intellectual property is going on the auction block this fall, he has reported.

Sen. Warner Introduces Tax Relief for Working Artists

Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina this week introduced legislation to provide tax relief to working artists. The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2024 would allow certain performing artists to deduct the cost of expenses incurred in the course of their employment.

The Qualified Performing Artist tax deduction is currently only available to those making less than $16,000 a year. The new legislation would update and increase the income ceiling to $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married joint filers.

Fentanyl Pusher Indicted For Importation Conspiracy

A Chinese national was indicted for his part in a conspiracy involving the importation of what is believed to be the largest amount of fentanyl precursors found in the Southern District of Texas and one of the largest in the country.

Minsu Fang, 48, also known as Fernando, was charged in a four-count indictment.

“To end the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) starts where the harm begins – with the Chinese chemical companies and the individuals that are selling chemicals to those who make and sell the fentanyl that is killing Americans,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

McKay Hails Virginia’s Top Ranking for Business

Virginia is America’s Top State for Business in 2024 according to CNBC’s annual state competitiveness rankings. This is the sixth year that Virginia has earned this title and the third victory in the past five years. Virginia has previously been named America’s Top State for Business by CNBC in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, and 2021.

Fairfax County Supervisors’ Chair Jeff McKay observed that Falls Church neighbor “Fairfax County is the economic engine of the best state in the country for business. There are many reasons people want to live in Fairfax County and businesses want to locate here, and our Board is committed to building on our economic success. We are strengthening our economy through being a welcoming and inclusive place to live and work and by investing in major priorities like our high-quality public services and our Fairfax County Public Schools.”