Lamp Causes Townhouse Fire
<bt>Fire officials say an electric lamp caused a townhouse fire, Sunday evening, in Chantilly's Brookfield community. Damage was estimated at $65,000. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded, around 6:10 p.m., to 13740 Penwith Court. First arriving units saw smoke coming out of the third floor of a three-story townhouse.
The blaze was in the middle unit, and it took firefighters about 20 minutes to bring the flames under control. Three occupants were displaced, and the American Red Cross is helping them. No one was injured. Fire investigators determined that an electric lamp too close to combustibles caused the fire; the lamp had been knocked over and was lying on the floor.
<sh>Vehicles Bashed in Greenbriar
<bt>Fairfax County police are looking for whoever was involved in a rash of vehicle vandalisms last Thursday, March 6, around 8:30 p.m., in Chantilly's Greenbriar community. The Fair Oaks District Station's Neighborhood Patrol Unit responded there for a report of "a car full of kids driving by and smashing out the windows of vehicles parked along the streets."
A black Mitsubishi Mirage or Eclipse with a spoiler on the back was believed to be involved, but a police search of the area for it was to no avail. Approximately 30 vehicles were damaged on the following streets: Penndale Lane, Peony Way, Great Laurel Lane, Fillingame Drive, Pelfrey Lane, Plaza Lane, Pavilion Drive, Poplar Tree Road, Harvest Court and Virginia Willow Drive.
Police are continuing to investigate, and anyone with information about this incident, any of the people or the drive-by vehicle involved is asked to call police at 703-691-2131 or Crime Solvers at 703-691-8888.
<sh>Case against Brownell Dropped
<bt>A 19-year-old Greenbriar resident can breathe easily, now that the charge against him has been dropped. In January, Fairfax County police arrested Paul Brownell in connection with the Jan. 3 hit-and-run of a 56-year-old Chantilly Highlands woman.
He was charged with felony hit-and-run. But when he appeared last Wednesday, March 5, in General District Court before Judge Stewart Davis, the case against him was dismissed.
<sh>Centreville Community Coalition
<bt>The Centreville Community Coalition will meet Wednesday, March 19, at 10 a.m. in the Liberty Middle School library. Call Debbie Martin at 703-802-9454.
<sh>Clifton Road Public Hearing
<bt>The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing Monday, March 24, at 3:30 p.m. on the Clifton Road Project. It's in the county's Comprehensive Plan and entails the widening of Clifton Road, between Route 29 and Braddock Road, from two to four lanes. The money to pay for the work comes from developer-contributed Roadway Improvement Funds. Those wishing to speak at the public hearing should first call the Office of the Clerk at 703-324-3151.
<sh>Name that Elementary School
<bt>The Fairfax County School Board is soliciting suggestions for names for the new northeast Centreville elementary school which will open in September in Centreville Farms. Residents within the school’s boundaries are invited to attend a community meeting, Monday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in the Poplar Tree Elementary cafeteria. Call 703-246-8198.
School Board members Cathy Belter and Kathy Smith will conduct the meeting. Also present will be the new school's principal, Brian Hull, plus Cluster VII director Carma Norman. For questions about whether a student will be assigned to the new school, call 703-246-3608.
<sh>Blood is Still Needed
<bt>The Inova Blood Donor Center in the Centremed I Building on Route 29 in Centreville (across from the Centreville Multiplex Cinemas) is still in urgent need of blood donations — especially O positive or negative, as well as A and B. They are accepted Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, noon-8 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m.-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. According to the Inova Health System, it only takes an hour to donate blood, and each donation can save the lives of three people.