<sh>Greenbriar Fall Proves Fatal
<bt>A 44-year-old Sterling man died last week after falling from a roof in Greenbriar. He is Ernesto Rivera of South Ironwood Road. According to Fairfax County police, he was on the roof of an apartment, painting, when — for unknown reasons — he fell some 25-30 feet to the ground.
The fatality occurred last Tuesday, Oct. 22, around 11:15 a.m. in the 12800 block of Grays Pointe Road. Rivera was taken to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Several others, including Rivera's brother, were also working on that apartment building, but did not see what caused him to fall. Police and investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are conducting an investigation.
<sh>Attempted Abduction Investigated
<bt>Fairfax County police are investigating an attempted abduction that occurred last Tuesday, Oct. 22, in Centreville's Newgate community. Police say girl, 13, was walking at the intersection of Newton Patent Drive and Newton Tavern Court, around 3:30 p.m., when she was approached by a man in a car.
He asked if she wanted a ride and, when she refused, the man got out of his white, four-door vehicle and grabbed her. Luckily, though, she was able to break free and run away. However, the man didn't give up. Chasing after her, police say he caught up with the girl at a nearby playground and yelled to her in Spanish to go with him.
But the girt fled once more and, this time, the man didn't pursue her. He is described as white, 6 feet, 200 pounds, with a goatee and dark, shoulder-length hair in a ponytail. He wore a dark jacket, blue shirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information is encouraged to call police at 703-691-2131 or Fairfax County Crime Solvers at 703-691-8888.
<sh>GT Town Meeting Set
<bt>A town meeting about a proposed GT center at Oak Hill Elementary will be held Monday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rachel Carson Middle School cafeteria (13618 McLearen Road in Herndon). The meeting is to help decide attendance-area adjustments associated with opening a new GT center at Oak Hill.
<sh>Land-Use, Traffic Meeting
<bt>The Sully District Council of Citizens Associations Land-Use and Transportation Committee will meet Monday, Nov. 4, 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, evenings, at 703-904-0131.
<sh>Clifton Town Council Meeting
<bt>The next meeting of the Clifton Town Council will be Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Clifton Town Meeting Hall, 12641 Chapel Road in Clifton. The Council members plan further discussions on fund-raising possibilities for the town.
Clifton's Haunted Park proved a big success. Rain forced cancellation of the Friday, Oct. 25, event, but the spooky doings in the town's 8-Acre Park, Saturday night, Oct. 26, drew some 1,500 people and raised $9,000-$10,000 for the town.
<sh>Westfield Community Coalition
<bt>The Westfield Community Coalition if offering a free, informative presentation on smoking prevention and cessation at its next coalition meeting on Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m., at Stone Middle School. Laura Laskofski of the Virginia Lung Association will be speaking on N-O-T (Not On Tobacco) and her smoking prevention and cessation program. Attendees will also learn about the work of Geri Zeithammel, Health Department nurse, and the Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) program she oversees.
Attendance at the Westfield Community Coalition meetings and membership is free. The coalition's mission is to develop partnerships in the community to enable the student population to effectively deal with today's environment; to support programs that foster an atmosphere where all youth can grow up in a safe environment free of violence, prejudice, and substance abuse; to strengthen family, community and school partnerships and work to make a positive difference for youth.
<sh>League of Women Voters
<bt>The issues at stake in the forthcoming Virginia General Assembly session will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Fairfax Area League of Women Voters, Fairfax Station unit. It will be held Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 9:30 a.m.; guests are welcome.
For directions and a copy of the discussion material, call the hostess at 703-631-1795 or the membership chairman at 703-830-8198. The Fairfax Station unit is comprised primarily of residents of Clifton, Fairfax Station and Burke. For a unit meeting at a more convenient day or time, call the League office at 703-658-9150.
<sh>WFCM Needs Food, Volunteers
<bt>Western Fairfax Christian Ministry's (WFCM) food pantry — which provides food to local needy families — is in urgent need of several items. They are: canned vegetables (corn, green beans, peas), baked beans, spaghetti sauce, jelly and jam, canned fruit, chicken soups, pasta, cereal, rice, tuna, canned meats and dinners (ravioli, chili, stew, kids' meals)
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. The WFCM also needs volunteers, Thursdays, from 10 a.m.-noon and from noon-2 p.m. To volunteer, call 703-988-9656.
<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>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>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.