<sh>Thoesen Campaign Kickoff
<bt>The mayoral campaign of Richard C. "Rick" Thoesen will swing into action Thursday evening, March 7 with a reception at the Herndon Centennial Golf Course Clubhouse from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Featured speakers will include former Dranesville Supervisor Lilla Richards, Walter Zolkiwsky from Reston Hospital Center and former Herndon Planning Commission chairman Charles Allen.
<sh>Narcotics Investigated at HMS
<bt>Fairfax County Police School Resource Officer Lonnie Doucet is investigating a narcotics event which occurred at Herndon Middle School located at 901 Locust Street, in Herndon on Tuesday, Feb. 26. Doucet received information that three eighth grade students were in possession of marijuana. After interviewing two 14-year-old boys and one 13-year-old boy, it was determined that they were each in possession of marijuana. Parents and guardians of the boys were contacted and the boys were released into their custody. Doucet will be obtaining petitions for the students, charging them each with possession of marijuana.
<sh>BB Gun Discovered at HHS
<bt>Fairfax County Police School Resource Officer Mark Ours is investigating an incident which occurred at Herndon High School, located at 700 Bennett Street in the Herndon area about 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26. Ours received information that several students were seen in a car in the school's parking lot, possibly smoking narcotics. When Ours went to the car to investigate, the students were gone, however, the officer saw what he believed to be the handle of a gun on the back floor of the car. The student who drove the car to school, a 17-year-old Herndon boy, was taken from his classroom and brought to his car. The student told Ours that the weapon was his and gave the BB gun to the officer along with an eight-inch knife also located in the car. The student was turned over to the school's principal and Ours will be obtaining a petition charging him with possession of a weapon on school property.
<sh>Dance at Community Center
<bt>The Herndon Community Center will be holding a middle school-age dance on Friday, March 8 from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $3 in advance and $4 at the door. Advance tickets are available at the community center on Thursday, March 7 and Friday, March 8 until 6:30 p.m. The dance is for seventh and eighth graders only. All teens must present school ID or have a parent or guardian present to purchase tickets. For more information, call the Herndon Parks & Recreation department at 703-435-6868.
<sh>Youth Police Academy
<bt>Students between 15 and 17 years of age with an interest in law enforcement, the Herndon community and a wish to learn about their role in community policing are encouraged to sign up for the Youth Police Academy. The academy will be held on Thursdays for eight sessions at the Herndon Police Department, located at 1481 Sterling Road in Herndon from March 7 through April 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. The fee is $10, but scholarships are available. The class limit is 15 students and is on a first come, first served basis. For more information, call Detective Si Ahmad at 703-435-2990.
<sh>Town Earns Budget Award
<bt>The Town of Herndon has received the Government Finance Officers Association's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget beginning July 1, 2001. In order to receive the budget award, the town had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.