Hit-and-Run Arrest
<bt>Fairfax County police have arrested an 18-year-old Greenbriar resident in connection with the Jan. 3 hit-and-run of a 56-year-old Chantilly Highlands woman. Charged with felony hit-and-run was Paul Brownell of 13207 Parsons Lane in Chantilly's Greenbriar community.
The woman was walking her dog and crossing Kinross Circle, near Stone Heather Drive in the Chantilly Highlands community, around 11 p.m., when the incident occurred. According to police, a man backed up his car at a high rate of speed and struck her, breaking her arm. The driver then backed up a second time, striking the woman again and knocking her to the ground.
Afterward, he sped away. Police believe that the man in question is Brownell. After being taken to the Adult Detention Center, he was released on $5,000 bond and has a March 5 court date. If convicted, he could be sentenced to as much as five years in prison.
<sh>Hanley to Address WFCCA
<bt>Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Katherine K. "Kate" Hanley will address the Monday, Jan. 20, meeting of the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA). It will be held at 7 p.m. in Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) conference room in the Fort Hill Building, 5900 Centreville Road in Centreville. The public is welcome, and Hanley will also hold a question-and-answer session.
<sh>Sully District Council Mtg.
<bt>The next meeting of the Sully District Council of Citizens Associations will be Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in conference room 7 of the Fairfax County Government Center. The topic will be the county schools superintendent's proposed FY 2004 budget. Call Mark McConn at 703-818-9124.
<sh>Name That Rec Center
<bt>The Fairfax County Park Authority has received and reviewed bids to construct the west county recreation center, and it expects to award the contract soon. The $18.5 million rec center will be built on 37.3 acres just north of Westfield High, bounded by Stonecroft Boulevard and Cub Run. (A field house including a 200-meter track and a place for graduations will be built next door by a private party).
The 94,000-square-foot rec center is anticipated to open in July 2004 and will house two, 25-meter competitive pools, a separate leisure pool with slide, a whirlpool/spa, weight training and cardiovascular fitness areas, multipurpose rooms and offices. Also planned are some 5,000 feet of trail, with a stream crossing, plus concrete walkways.
Groundbreaking is slated for early March. Meanwhile, residents may send suggestions for the rec center's name to Sully@fairfaxcounty.gov. So far, the two main candidates are West County Recreation Center and Cub Run Recreation Center.
<sh>Mature Drivers Improvement
<bt>The Fair Oaks District Police Station is offering a Mature Operator's Driver Improvement Program for residents 55 and older. The eight-hour course presents safe-driving information for mature drivers, is sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and is given by a certified county auxiliary police officer.
Upon completion of this course, drivers are eligible for Virginia's state-mandated, insurance-premium reduction (check with individual insurance carriers for the amount). The next course will be held Saturday, Jan. 25, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., in Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) conference room. It's in the Fort Hill Building at 5900 Centreville Road in Centreville. Registration is required; contact auxiliary officer Mike Szedlock at 703-280-0621. The fee is $10 per person for books and materials.
<sh>Hugo: 'Save Transportation Funds'
<bt>Del. Tim Hugo (R-40th) says Gov. Mark Warner's proposed FY 2004 budget amendments drain vital dollars from transportation. Warner's proposed amendment would seize $112 million in savings transferred to the general fund from transportation agencies.
"I am disappointed that the governor's budget amendment did not re-commit this [money] to road and/or transit projects," said Hugo. "Transferring additional funds away from much-needed transportation agencies and projects will increase frustrations throughout Fairfax County."
<sh>WFCM Clothes Closet is Now Open Wednesday Evenings
<bt>The Western Fairfax Christian Ministries' (WFCM) Shepherd Center clothes closet is now open Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. It's in the Sully Plaza Shopping Center at 13924 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly (between Fashion Bug and Payless Shoes).
The clothing is in good condition, and prices range from 25 cents for children's socks to $5 for a suit. Donation days for the clothes closet are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Clothing and small household items are accepted. Large household items may be donated to Pender United Methodist Church's furniture ministry at 703-352-7679.
WFCM also extends its thanks to the local community for its swift and generous response to WFCM's plea for food at Christmastime to help feed local needy families. As a result, WFCM was able to serve the more-than 100 extra families for which the organization hadn't originally planned.
<sh>Library Copies of Virginia Tax Forms
<bt>Due to Virginia's budget cuts, the Fairfax County Public Library and other Virginia public libraries will no longer have free copies of Virginia income tax forms. Virginia tax forms are available online; check the Library's Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library for links to IRS and Virginia tax forms. Library users can make copies of Virginia tax forms on library copy machines, or print out the tax forms from the Internet on library PCs, for 15 cents per page.