<sh>Video Released of Suspect
<bt>Sheriff's investigators has released surveillance video of one of two female suspects in a strong-arm robbery of a purse that occurred last month in Sterling.
The video shows a female subject entering a Giant Food Grocery store in Fairfax County approximately 30 minutes after the robbery. The female then used a credit card from the stolen purse to purchase cigarettes.
The female is wanted in connection with an Oct. 20 strong-arm robbery of a 33-year-old Sterling woman. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. when the victim was in the area of Holborn Court in Sterling where she was exiting her vehicle.
Anyone with any information regarding the incident or with information regarding the two suspects, contact Investigator Fognano of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Stabbing in Ashburn
<bt>A 19-year-old Sterling man is recovering from a stab wound he received last weekend during an assault in Ashburn. The victim says he was behind the area of the 43800 block of Dodge Terrace around 3 a.m. Saturday morning when an unknown subject came up from behind him, assaulted him and then stabbed him.
After the incident the victim left the scene and went to a nearby shopping center where a grocery store manager alerted authorities. The victim was taken to the Lansdowne Campus of Loudoun Hospital where he was treated and released. The victim could only describe the subject as wearing all black.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Investigator Fognano of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Suspects Surrender
<bt>Two Reston men wanted in connection with a July Fourth assault in Sterling turned themselves over to authorities Saturday night. Twenty-two-year-old Phopnepas Luangraj and 23-year-old Sourinthone Sengvong have been charged with aggravated malicious wounding. Their surrender comes on the heels of the arrests of five juveniles also involved in the incident.
The five juveniles, two 17-year-olds from Sterling, a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old from Reston, and a 16-year-old from Herndon were arrested by Sheriff's Investigators Friday night and charged with aggravated malicious wounding and assault by mob. All five of the juveniles remain in custody at the Juvenile Detention Center. A Loudoun magistrate released the two adults on a $2,000 unsecured bond Saturday night.
The arrests stem from an investigation into the assault of a 16-year-old who was attending a party at a residence in the 800 block of North York Road in Sterling.
<sh>Fatal Accident
<bt>A two vehicle accident Saturday morning on John Mosby Highway (Route 50) near Pleasant Valley Road has taken the life of a Falls Church man. Shortly after 9 a.m. on Nov. 8, a 1992 Volvo station wagon, driven by 54-year-old Timothy Malat, was traveling westbound on Route 50 when it veered to miss a 1997 Volvo dump truck.
The dump truck, driven by 31-year-old Jorge Alberto Vasquez of Chantilly, had just pulled out onto westbound Route 50 from a truck yard. Malat struck the rear passenger side of the truck on the front driver's side of his vehicle. Malat was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was uninjured in the incident.
The accident remains under investigation and witnesses are asked to contact DFC Garis with the Sheriff's Office Traffic Safety Unit at 703-771-5798.
Members of the Sheriff's Office Accident Reconstruction Unit and the Truck Safety Unit were on the scene. Route 50 westbound was shut down to one lane for almost five hours on Saturday.
<sh>Hunter Found Dead
<bt>A 36-year-old Vienna man who had been hunting with relatives was found dead in a wooded area near Lovettsville Nov. 1. An autopsy conducted by the Northern Virginia Medical Examiners Officer determined the man died of a heart attack. The victim, David Brooks, was discovered sometime after 5:30 p.m. leaning against a fence approximately one-half mile to the southwest of the 12980 block of Picnic Woods Road in Lovettsville. Family members contacted authorities and rescue personnel who pronounced the man dead at the scene.
<sh>Accident Victim Dies
<bt>A Middleburg man hospitalized since Oct. 25 succumbed five days later to injuries he sustained after a motorcycle accident involving a deer.
Shortly before midnight on that Saturday 40-year-old Anthony Castelhano, Jr., of Middleburg was traveling northbound on Silcott Springs Road (690) just north of Shoemaker School Road (622) when he swerved to avoid a deer that was in the roadway. Castelhano became separated from the 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle he was riding and fell onto the roadway. The motorcycle continued another 200-feet and crashed into some trees.
Medstar airlifted Castelhanoto Washington Hospital Center where he had been listed in critical condition.
<sh>GRIT Holds Gang Prevention Meetings
<bt>The Loudoun County Gang Response and Intervention Team (GRIT) is sponsoring three informational presentations from the Sheriff's Office and Leesburg Police Department. There will be a question and answer period following with panel members from law enforcement, the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, Juvenile Court Services, public schools, mental health and substance abuse and Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
Meetings will be held:
* Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7-8:30 p.m., at Harmony Intermediate School, 38174 West Colonial Highway, Hamilton.
* Monday, Nov. 17, 7-8:30 p.m., at J. Lupton Simpson Middle School, 490 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg.
* Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7-8:30 p.m., at Dominion High School, 21326 Augusta Drive, Sterling.
Contact Dave Carver at 703-777-0303, for more information.
<sh>Board Members Sought
<bt>The Loudoun Restoration and Preservation Society (LRPS) is accepting applications for its 2004 Board of Directors. Board members are required to attend monthly meetings in Leesburg and to participate in the planning and implementation of August Court Days and the annual grants program. To apply, send a letter outlining qualifications and interest to LRPS, P.O. Box 351, Leesburg, VA 20178. Letters must be received by Nov. 18.
Questions may be directed to LRPS President Vernon Davis at 703-777-6866.
<sh>Time Change for Board Meeting
<bt>The meeting of the Board of Supervisors' Land Use Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 12, will begin at 4 p.m., one hour earlier than originally scheduled. The meeting will take place in the Lovettsville Room of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E. in Leesburg.
The meeting packet for the committee, which includes the agenda as well as action and information items, will be available online several days before the meeting at www.loudoun.gov/bos/documents.htm.
<sh>Holiday Programs Begin
<bt>The Community Holiday Coalition's "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" program is gearing up for the 8th annual Thanksgiving and Christmas Stores. The Thanksgiving and Christmas stores will help more than 1,000 Loudoun families in need, including more than 2,000 children. For the second year, Lerner Corporation, owner of Dulles Town Center, has donated space at the Dulles 28 Centre for use by the Coalition Stores. Dulles 28 Centre is located at the northwest corner of Route 28 and Waxpool Road in the old Best Company Building.
Families are determined eligible by income and can find applications at Loudoun County Social Services, Loudoun Interfaith Relief and the Good Shepherd Thrift Store.
The Holiday Coalition will be collecting and distributing gently used, clean winter coats and blankets. Coats are needed in all sizes, but especially those for children and teens. New gloves, hats and mittens will be distributed in December. Bring items to the Dulles 28 Centre on Sunday, Nov. 16, from noon-4 p.m., and on Monday, Nov. 17 through Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
In addition, many area businesses and all community centers have drop-offs for donations. Those wishing to participate as volunteers may call 703-737-8367. To donate cash or clothing, call the Holiday Hotline at 703-771-5718 or visit www.loudoun.gov/dss/holiday.
<sh>Forum to Help Boost Tourism
<bt>U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th) will host a forum Nov. 21 to help area tourist attractions benefit from the December opening of the Smithsonian's new Air & Space Museum annex near Washington Dulles International Airport.
"The opening of the new annex represents an exciting opportunity for the region's many businesses and tourist sites to tap into the new visitor pool coming to see this world-class facility," Wolf said. "How we take advantage of this opportunity can mean rewards for years to come."
A representative from the Smithsonian will provide an overview of the new museum and officials with Commonwealth's Virginia Tourism Corporation will discuss ways area attractions can market their sites to the three million visitors the new museum is expected to attract every year.
The forum, "Helping Our Tourism Industry Take Off," will be from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Cottage House at Oatlands Plantation, which is on Route 15 just south of Leesburg. Anyone involved in the tourism industry in the 10th District is encouraged to attend the free event. To register, contact Neil Siefring or Elizabeth Becker in Wolf's Washington office at 202-225-5136.
<sh>Make a Difference Day
<bt>Loudoun Volunteer Services invites families in Loudoun County to make a difference by volunteering in support of their community during National Family Volunteer Day on Nov. 22. The event is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving and kicks off National Family Week.
Loudoun Volunteer Services has put together a planning packet for groups or families that will provide some project ideas, "how to" tips and a registration form for an event.
For more information, or to receive a registration packet, contact Lisa Rose, Loudoun Volunteer Services at pivs@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0113. All materials are available online at www.loudoun.gov/pio/volunteer.htm.
<sh>Leesburg Planning Meeting
<bt>The Town of Leesburg Planning Commission invites the public to attend a Visioning Session to discuss long-range urban growth issues on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Ida Lee Recreation Center, 50 Ida Lee Drive, N.W., Leesburg. For more information, visit www.leesburgva.org/townplan, e-mail townplan@leesburgva.org or call 703-771-2765.
<sh>Meeting on Purcellville Plan Rescheduled
<bt>The public input session on the update of the Purcellville Urban Growth Area Management Plan originally scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 30, has been rescheduled for Dec. 6. Details regarding format, time and location will be announced later.
A work session for property owners adjacent to the Town of Purcellville's corporate limits will be held Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at the Town of Purcellville office, 130 E. Main St., Purcellville.
The Joint Policies Review Committee will meet Dec. 16, at 5 p.m. at the Town office to discuss input from the earlier public work sessions. Comments from the sessions have been compiled and are available online at www.loudoun.gov/compplan/purcellville.htm.
The Town of Purcellville and Loudoun County are in the process of updating the Purcellville Urban Growth Area Management Plan, which contains land use goals and priorities for the area surrounding Purcellville's corporate limits. The area is known as the Joint Land Management Area (JLMA) and is jointly planned by the town and county.