<sh>Police Nab Robbery Suspect
<bt>Suspicious bank employees led to the capture, Saturday, of a would-be bank robber, say Fairfax County police. Arrested was Charles A. Taylor, 21, of no fixed address. The attempted robbery occurred at the newly opened Community Bank of Northern Virginia, at 13986 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly.
According to police, employees there became suspicious after Taylor reportedly entered the bank twice, looked around a bit and then left. When he came inside again, around 9:40 a.m., police were called. Before they arrived, police say Taylor allegedly gave a teller a note demanding cash. Officers from the Fair Oaks District Station responded and found Taylor outside.
While one officer spoke with him, another went into the bank and determined that Taylor had allegedly just tried to rob the bank. Police took him into custody on the spot and charged him with attempted bank robbery. He was held without bond at the Adult Detention Center, pending a Sept. 8 court date.
<sh>Woman's Charge is Reduced
<bt>A Pennsylvania woman charged with assaulting a police officer outside Centreville's Shark Club is now facing a lesser charge. Joanne Haines-Kenner, 25, of 2156 Snyder Drive in Elizabethtown, Pa., was one of seven people arrested by Fairfax County police, March 30, after officers on patrol around 2 a.m. saw a fight erupt among several people in the nightclub's parking lot.
Police said a Centre Ridge woman, Nichole Laterz, 29, struck an officer in the face when he tried to break up the fight. They said Haines-Kenner, who was standing nearby, allegedly "jumped onto the same officer's back and began hitting him in the head."
Police eventually arrested both women, charging each with assaulting a police officer. On June 2, Laterz' charge was reduced to assault and battery — a misdemeanor — and she was sentenced to six months in jail. Last Wednesday, July 9, in General District Court, Haines-Kenner's charge was reduced to the same offense. She is to be sentenced Aug. 21.
<sh>Police Seek Dog, Owner
<bt>Fairfax County Police Animal Control is trying to find out whatever it can about a dog who last week bit a 29-year-old Centreville man. The incident occurred last Thursday, July 10, around 3:45 p.m., on Pickwick Road near Bridlington Court in Centreville.
Police say the man was bitten on the leg after he tried to check the tag of a dog that was running loose and had gotten "aggressive" with the man's wife. The dog is described as medium-sized; black, gray and white; and wearing a brown leather collar. Anyone with information about the dog or its owner is asked to call Animal Control at 703-266-6490.
<sh>Tabby Cat Bites, Too
<bt>Fairfax County Police Animal Control Officers are investigating a cat bite that occurred Monday, around 8:15 a.m., in the 11600 block of Yates Ford Road in Clifton. A 56-year-old woman was trying to catch a stray cat that was around her house when the cat bit her on the left index finger and ran away.
The woman did not need medical attention for her injury. The cat is described as a male gray tabby. Anyone with information about the cat is asked to call Animal Control at 703-266-6490.
<sh>Ice Cream Social/Food Drive
<bt>Sully District School Board candidate Carl Cecil and Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) are joining forces Saturday, July 19, from 1-4 p.m. for free ice cream and a food drive. Open to the public, the event will be at Cecil's home, 4616 Sutton Oaks Drive, in Chantilly.
Everyone attending the ice-cream social is asked to bring two non-perishable, kid-friendly food items to donate to WFCM to help ease the increased summer food needs of local, needy families.
Local dignitaries participating will include Reps. Thomas M. Davis III (R-11th) and Frank Wolf (R-10th); Delegates Jeannemarie Devolites (R-35th), Tim Hugo (R-40th), Jay O'Brien (R-39th) and Gary Reese (R-67th); Supervisor Michael R. Frey (R-Sully) and School Board member and candidate for Board of Supervisors chairman, Mychele Brickner.
<sh>WFCCA Meeting July 21
<bt>Del. Tim Hugo (R-40th) will be the guest speaker at the quarterly meeting of the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA). It will be held Monday, July 21, at 7 p.m. in Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) conference room in the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., in Chantilly.
Those attending are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to be donated to the Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) food pantry to help needy families in the local area.
<sh>Centreville Community Foundation
<bt>The Centreville Day committee of the Centreville Community Foundation (CCF) will meet Tuesday, July 22, at 7 p.m. in Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) conference room. It's in the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., in Chantilly. Call Sandy Shapiro at 703-266-3653.
<sh>Sully District Council Mtg.
<bt>The Sully District Council of Citizens Associations will meet Wednesday, July 23, at 7 p.m. in conference room 7 of the Fairfax County Government Center. Call Mark McConn at 703-818-9124.
<sh>Park Authority to Meet
<bt>The next meeting of the Fairfax County Park Authority will be Wednesday, July 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 900, in Fairfax. Call Judy Pedersen at 703-324-8662.
<sh>WFCM Urgently Needs Food
<bt>Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) is in desperate need of canned goods and groceries for its food pantry for local needy families. Much-needed items include: Breakfast cereal, canned tuna, canned meats, spaghetti sauce, canned pasta or meat meals, "dinner in a box" meals, jelly, dried pasta, canned fruit, fruit juice, baby food, diapers (all sizes), wipes, bagged rice, bagged beans and personal-care products.
All food donations may be dropped off — either at Key Kopy in Centreville's Newgate Shopping Center — or Monday-Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Shepherd Center, 13924 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly (next to Payless Shoes) in the Sully Plaza Shopping Center. For more information, call 703-988-9656.