August 1, 2002
<sh>Carjacking to Grand Jury
<bt>The case against a man suspected of a carjacking in Chantilly is heading for the grand jury. The man charged with the crime is James Eric Garnett, 34, of no fixed address.
According to Fairfax County police, on June 7, around 6:15 p.m., Garnett allegedly tried to rob a 29-year-old woman at a Chantilly gas station and carjack her vehicle. But she was able to drive off and prevent it from happening.
The incident occurred at the Mobil gas station at 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, off Willard Road, near the Dulles Expo Center. However, say police, Garnett then approached a 35-year-old woman at the gas pumps and allegedly got into her car and drove away.
Afterward, police say he drove her car to a construction site near the expo center and struck a wall. They say he then got out of the car and fled on foot, a short distance, before police closed in and arrested him, charging him with carjacking.
Garnett appeared last Wednesday, July 24, in General District Court and, at that time, Judge Thomas Gallahue certified the case against him to the next grand jury for possible indictment. If convicted, he could receive as much as 15 years in prison.
<cl>Ashley Dubey
<sh>Bake Sale for Ashley
<bt>Ashley Dubey, 6, has just returned home to Centreville after spending the past month in a rehabilitation hospital in Charlottesville. She was treated there after being struck, May 2, by a hit-and-run driver on Old Centreville Road.
To help her family with her medical bills, Girl Scout Service Unit 5411 will hold a bake sale, Saturday, Aug. 3, in front of the Fair Lakes Wal-Mart, from 8:30 a.m.-noon. Contributions, payable to Harsh Dubey, may also be sent to: Bank of America, 14122 Lee Highway, Centreville, VA 20120.
<sh>Local Residents are Appointed
<bt>The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors last week appointed two local residents to serve on commissions and committees. Dick Frank, of Centreville's Gate Post Estates community, was reappointed to another term as the Sully District representative to the Transportation Advisory Commission.
Kathleen Hill of Centre Ridge will serve as the new Sully District Representative on the Airports Advisory Committee. Both Frank and Hill are members of the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA) Land-Use Committee.
<sh>Land-Use, Traffic Meeting
<bt>The Sully District Council of Citizens Associations Land-Use and Transportation Committee will meet Monday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) conference room. It's in the Fort Hill Building, 5900 Centreville Road in Centreville. Call Jeff Parnes, 703-904-0131, evenings.
<sh>Clifton Town Council Mtg.
<bt>The next meeting of the Clifton Town Council will be Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Clifton Town Meeting Hall, 12641 Chapel Road in Clifton.
<sh>Child Safety-Seat Inspections
<bt>Effective July 1, all children under age 6 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat. Accordingly, on Thursday, Aug. 8, from 4-8 p.m., police from the Fair Oaks District Station Crime Prevention Unit will help install or inspect these seats at the Target store in the Fair Lakes Shopping Center.
The first 20 people turning in old car seats will receive a Target gift card toward the purchase of a new safety seat at that store. And a new child safety seat or booster seat will be raffled off every hour. A police cruiser and fire truck will be on display, and McGruff the Crime-Prevention Dog will make an appearance. For more information, call 703-352-2163 or 703-246-2253.
<sh>Westfield Community Coalition
<bt>The Westfield Community Coalition for Safe and Drug-Free Schools will meet Monday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. at Westfield High. The meeting will be in the drivers'-education room (N142), across from the gym. Members will make plans for the Westfield High Bulldog Barbecue at the end of the month and the back-to-school nights.
Anyone having a proposal for grant money may present it. The goal is to increase community awareness of drug-and-alcohol abuse among local teens and offer prevention programs. Coalition meetings are the second Monday of the month. Membership is free and all are welcome to attend. Call Ron Furgerson at 703-754-0107.
<sh>School-Supply Drive
<bt>Century 21 New Millennium is collecting school supplies — anything from pencils to backpacks — for local needy children, through Aug. 27. Individuals and businesses wishing to help may drop off donations at Century 21 New Millennium, 5109 Westfields Blvd. in Centreville (next to Safeway in the Sully Station shopping center).
<sh>WFCM Needs Food, Volunteers
<bt>Western Fairfax Christian Ministry's (WFCM) food pantry — which provides food to local needy families — is in serious need of several items. They are: Breakfast cereal, canned pastas, fruit, juices and meats (salmon and chicken), coffee, tea, flour, sugar, shortening, spaghetti sauce and toilet tissue.
To donate, call 703-815-3238, or bring these things to the Shepherd Center. It's open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and is between Fashion Bug and Payless Shoes in the Sully Plaza Shopping Center at 13924 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly.
In addition, because of summer vacations, the WFCM is also in urgent need of volunteers, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon and noon-2 p.m. To volunteer, call 703-988-9656.
<sh>Kids in Crisis Ministry
<bt>Western Fairfax Christian Ministry's (WFCM) Kids in Crisis Ministry provides emergency assistance to families impacted by a child's illness. Since such families are too distracted to research all the organizations that might help them, if anyone knows of a family in need, please advise them to call the hotline at 703-378-3045. Leave a message on the "Kids in Crisis" box, and a volunteer will return the call.
This program offers a safety net for families whose income or expenses are affected by a child's illness. Besides medical bills, they'll incur costs such as travel, babysitting, special equipment and home health care.
Even families with adequate health insurance may find it difficult to meet these expenses. Kids in Crisis aids in areas not covered by traditional health insurance policies. For more information, call the hotline or Karen Dolan at 703-266-3144.
<sh>Blood Urgently Needed
<bt>The Inova Blood Donor Center in the Centremed I Building on Route 29 in Centreville (across from the Centreville Multiplex Cinemas) is in urgent need of blood donations — especially O positive or negative, as well as A and B. They are accepted Tuesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. To make an appointment to give blood, call (703) 322-1970, or just drop in at your own convenience.
<sh>WFCM Personnel Needs
<bt>The Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) has several volunteer positions available.
* It needs a client coordinator to make follow-up calls to members of the community who have recently received assistance. This person would also cross-reference recipients with other WFCM services (food and clothing ministry). It would be a good job for someone who has to stay close to home.
* On-call volunteers are also needed. After receiving training, they'll monitor requests for help, coming from the local community, via a telephone mailbox. There's a social worker on staff, plus an extensive network of support to help and encourage people in self-sufficiency.
* WFCM's food pantry needs volunteers to work Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and Saturdays, noon-2 p.m. To volunteer for any of these positions or for more information, call 703-378-3045 and leave a message on box 7.
<sh>WFCM Needs Drivers
<bt>The Western Fairfax Christian Ministries is in need of drivers to take elderly people to medical appointments. Call (703) 378-3045 and press 7 to volunteer for this or any other WFCM ministry.
<sh>Meals on Wheels
<bt>The Clifton Meals on Wheels program urgently needs a volunteer to coordinate the delivery of meals to frail, elderly residents. Call the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging at (703) 324-5406.