Send announcements to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
Capt. Don A. Park recently graduated from the 219th session of the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico, Va.
Park was one of 249 law enforcement officers who
graduated Friday, Dec. 10, from the 11-week training program. The most recent session consisted of men and women from 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 24 international countries, three military organizations, and four federal civilian organizations.
Park is the seventh member of the Sheriff's Office senior staff to have graduated form the FBI Academy in the past nine years.
Park is a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office who
started his career in 1989 as a correctional deputy and later became a patrol deputy in the field operations division in 1990. Since that time he has served in positions in Patrol and Criminal Investigations and is currently assigned to the criminal investigations division.
Army Pvt. Matthew A. Pearson has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Knox, Ky.
During the nine-week training, the trainee received instruction in drill and ceremony, weapons, rifle marksmanship and bayonet training, chemical warfare, field training and tactical exercises, armed and unarmed combat, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid, and Army history, traditions, and core values.
Pearson is the son of Dixie Harding of Ashburn. He is a 2004 graduate of Woodstock Job Corps Center, Md.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and three members of the agency were recognized at an awards luncheon
held by the Smooth Operator Campaign.
The agency, headed by Sheriff Steve Simpson, along with Lt. Ed Leonard, DFC Craig Schleiden and Traffic Analyst Michael Thompson were recognized for their efforts in going above and beyond their traffic enforcement duties and for implementing a traffic safety program targeting aggressive driving. For 2004, more than 50 law enforcement agencies from the District, Maryland and Virginia cooperated in intensive, one-week aggressive driving enforcement "waves" Ñ one each month from May through August.
The Smooth Operator Program is a public safety initiative, which aims to provide education, information and solutions for the problem of aggressive driving.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has appointed 11 citizens to serve on the Ad Hoc Zoning Ordinance Review Committee, which was created to assist staff with the upcoming annual review. The panel includes seven members who were selected for their experience with zoning-related issues: Brian Cullen, development consultant; Sarah Howard-O'Brien, land planner; Joe Paciulli, surveyor; Patrick Quante, engineer; William Soltesz, owner, real estate firm; Terry Titus, former planning commissioner; and John Whitmore, former planning commissioner. Two slots were given to two members of the general public who are not necessarily zoning experts: Franklin Hyatt, owner and manager, Woodland Assisted Living, Lovettsville; and Stevens R. Miller, founder, CEO and counsel for Data Forensic Labs of Northern Virginia. Ava Abramowitz will serve as the representative of the Rural Economic Development Council and Robert Gordon will serve as the
Economic Development Commission representative. Information about the Zoning Ordinance annual review are
available on the Loudoun County Government Web site at
www.loudoun.gov/b&d/zoning/review.
Loudoun Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary M. Clemens announces that three deputy clerks have recently been certified as circuit court deputy clerks. Sandra Shifflett, Gail Thornton and Nancy Lambert were certified by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. Shifflett works in the land records division of the clerk's office, while Thornton and Lambert work in the court case management division.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has completed its appointments to a 15-member Route 50 Task Force, which was created by the Board to gain public input and recommendations on key issues facing the Route 50 corridor.
For the purposes of the task force, the Route 50 corridor has been divided into four segments, with leaders and co-leaders appointed: Segment 1: Scott Plein, leader; Bernard Durham co-leader; Segment 2: Bill Gilligan, leader; Jay Meadows, co-leader; Segment 3: Bob Buchanan, leader; Chris Riedel, co-leader; Segment 4: Packie Crown, leader; Mark DiLuigi, co-leader. Other members of the task force include: Jay Bradshaw and Ed Gorski as historic and cultural group representatives; Cheryl Kilday as the representative of the Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association; Mindy Williams of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; John Harris of the Economic Development Commission; Larry Beerman of the Loudoun County Planning Commission; and Dulles District Supervisor Steve Snow as the board's representative. More information about the task force, is available online at www.loudoun.gov/bos/route50.
The Washington Regional Alcohol Program presented its 7th Annual Law Enforcement Awards Friday, Dec. 10, which is in part a kick-off campaign for the Holiday SoberRide Program and also recognizes members of law enforcement for their efforts in impaired driving prevention.
Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputy James Rzonca, a nearly two-year member of the agencies patrol division, was one of 11 Washington-metropolitan area police officers who were cited for their outstanding commitment in the fight against drunk driving. Rzonca was chosen for the award as he removed 26 impaired drivers off of Loudoun's roadways this year.
Army Pvt. Clifton A. Richey has graduated from the network switching systems operator-maintainer advanced individual training course at Fort Gordon, Augusta, Ga. The soldier was trained to install, initialize, operate, and perform unit level and direct support maintenance on electronic switching assemblies, systems and ancillary communications equipment; use computers to perform system-network operations; interpret computer error codes to correct fault systems; perform unit level preventive maintenance checks and services on associated communications security devices; also, operate, install, troubleshoot and repair power generators and assigned vehicles. Richey is the son of Chuck A. and Karen A. Richey of Ashburn. He is a 2003 graduate of Stone Bridge High School, Ashburn.
Members of Brownie Troop No. 3388 from Lowes Island Elementary School learned about recycling when they visited the Loudoun County Office of Solid Waste Management.
The Scouts brought a mix of recyclables from home to show
off their recycling skills and visited with county recycling staff to learn about resource conservation, how plastic bottles are recycled into T-shirts and carpet, and to see where bottles, cans and paper actually go for recycling.
To learn more about recycling or how to properly
dispose of household hazardous wastes, call the Recycling Hot line at 703-771-5318 or visit www.loudoun.gov/oswm.