Coach Pleads Guilty to Indecent Liberties
<bt>A 41-year-old Penderbrook man is facing a possible five years in prison after pleading guilty, last week, to taking indecent liberties with a minor.
He is Bernard McHale of 12023 Golf Ridge Court in Fairfax, and his victim was a teen-age girl who he used to coach in soccer.
Fairfax County police arrested him June 27, after the woman — who's now 23 — accused him of committing sexual improprieties against her when she was 17. Police charged him with one count of crimes against nature and two counts of custodial indecent liberties with a child.
The charges grew out of a series of incidents that occurred in the summer of 1997. According to police, when the woman came forward, in summer 2003, she told detectives that McHale "sexually assaulted her on more than one occasion at his former home on Rockaway Lane in Fairfax."
A popular, well-liked coach, he'd been employed by Arlington Public Schools since 1998. He was an assistant special-education teacher and coached girls JV and varsity soccer at Yorktown High in Arlington. He also coached at The Potomac School, a private school in McLean, and previously coached club soccer with the DC Stoddert Soccer League in the District.
On Oct. 3 in Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Judge Kimberly Daniel certified one of the indecent-liberties charges to the grand jury. McHale was then indicted on Nov. 17.
He appeared last Wednesday, Jan. 14, in Circuit Court before Judge Terrence Ney and pleaded guilty, admitting that he and the teen-age girl had had sexual relations, some 6 1/2 years ago. McHale is scheduled for sentencing on April 23.
<sh>Bench Warrant Issued for Centreville Teen
<bt>Already suspected of stealing a computer from a Sully Station home, Tavares Winston got into further trouble, last week, when he failed to appear for a court date.
Winston, 19, of 14711 Wycombe St. in Centreville's London Towne community, is accused of the Sept. 8 theft of a $3,000 Hewlett-Packard, laptop computer and five T-shirts. Fairfax County police arrested him, Sept. 26, charging him with one count each of grand larceny and burglary.
If convicted, he could receive as much as five years in prison for each offense. But first, he has to come to court. He was slated to appear last Tuesday, Jan. 13, in General District Court. But when he didn't show, Judge Michael Cassidy issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
<sh>Centreville Community Coalition
<bt>The next meeting of the Centreville Community Coalition will be Friday, Jan. 23, at 11 a.m. at Union Mill Elementary. The public is welcome to attend.
<sh>'Sully Notebook' Is On TV
<bt>"Sully Notebook," Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) informational update about important things happening in the Sully District, is on TV channel 16, Friday, Sunday and Tuesday evenings. Check local listings for the exact time.
<sh>CCF Meeting Sept. 27
<bt>The Centreville Day committee of the Centreville Community Foundation (CCF) will meet Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. in the Sully District Governmental Center. It's at 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, Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m., in the Sully District Governmental Center at 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. Mario Schiavo of Fairfax County Public Schools will discuss the school system's proposed FY 2005 budget.
<sh>WFCM Needs Supplies
<bt>Western Fairfax Christian Ministries is currently in need of baby food, formula and large-sized diapers. Please drop off items to WFCM at 13981 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly.
<sh>New 2004-05 WFCCA Officers
<bt>The West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA), on Monday night, elected its slate of officers for 2004-05. The new president is Ted Troscianecki of Virginia Run; Coleen Crossan of Heritage Crossing is administrative vice-president; Kathleen Hill, Centre Ridge Owners, executive vice-president; Carol Hawn, at-large, secretary; and Mary Coyle, at-large, treasurer. They'll each serve two-year terms.
<sh>Park Authority to Meet
<bt>The next meeting of the Fairfax County Park Authority is Wednesday, Jan. 28, 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>Hugo Proposes License Plates for DUI Offenders
<bt>Del. Tim Hugo (R-40th) plans to introduce legislation requiring repeat DUI offenders to purchase and display special, red-and-yellow license plates on their primary vehicles while their driver's license is suspended.
According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, in 2002 there were 11,788 crashes, 375 fatalities and 8,465 injuries related to alcohol. There were also 27,322 convictions in Virginia in 2002 for Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
<sh>Correction
<lst>In the story in last week's Centre View, "Teaching Economics to Russian Audiences; Chantilly teacher Joseph Clement takes 10-day tour of the USSR," the headline should have said "...10-day tour of Russia." The U.S.S.R. does not exist anymore. Centre View regrets the error.
<sh>Blood Urgently Needed
<bt>The Inova Blood Donor Center in the Centremed I Building on Route 29 in Centreville (across from the Centreville Multiplex Cinemas) is in urgent need of blood donations — especially O positive or negative, as well as A and B. They're accepted Tuesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For an appointment to give blood, call 703-322-1970, or drop in at your own convenience.