<sh>Woodson Student Dies of Apparent Suicide
<bt>Luke Tiahrt, 16, a rising junior at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, died of an apparent suicide very early Saturday morning, July 24, at his family's home in Fairfax. Luke was the youngest son of U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan.
During his sophomore year, Luke was a starting linebacker for Woodson, and in his freshman year, he scored the first touchdown of the season for his team. Luke also played lacrosse for Woodson, and when he was younger, he enjoyed playing baseball.
A member of the Church of the Apostles in Fairfax, Luke attended Virginia public schools for most of his schooling. He also enjoyed playing guitar and spending time with his friends and family.
He is survived by his parents and his sister Jessica, 23, and brother John, 19.
A funeral took place on Wednesday, July 28, at the Westlink Christian Church in Wichita, Kan.
In lieu of flowers, the Tiahrt family requested that donations be sent to a memorial fund established in Luke's name. The fund will benefit Kansas teenagers. Contributions may be sent to: Luke Tiahrt Memorial Fund, Intrust Bank, c/o Janis Marean, 105 N. Main, Wichita, KS 67202.
<sh>Police Seek Public's Help
<bt>Fairfax County Police have issued a composite sketch of a suspect in a June assault that took place in the Fairfax area.
On Saturday, June 26, around 4:30 a.m., a 19-year-old woman was in the laundry room of an apartment building in the 3300 block of Willow Crescent Drive, when a man assaulted her and committed sexual battery against her. She was able to break free and fled the building. The victim was not injured. The suspect was described as Hispanic, in his 30s, 6 feet tall, and weighing 190 pounds. He had black curly hair and brown eyes and was wearing ripped jeans and a white T-shirt. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at 703-691-2131 or Crime Solvers at 800-673-2777.
<sh>Chamber Backs Stadium Plan
<bt>The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors endorsed the Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority’s (VBSA) plan to finance and build a 42,500-seat ballpark as part of a new town center project near Dulles International Airport, on Thursday. Citing the Fairfax County Chamber’s nearly decade-long support for bringing Major League Baseball (MLB) to Northern Virginia and the stadium authority’s innovative ballpark financing plan, the Board of Directors adopted a formal resolution supporting the plan to locate a new landmark ballpark on a site near the Fairfax-Loudoun county line.
MLB’s Relocation Committee is expected to recommend a permanent new location for the Montreal Expos within weeks. The project relies on tax revenues generated by team and ballpark operations and significant contributions by team owners and the development partnership formed to create the proposed new Diamond Lake Town Center. The Board of Directors also cited the more than one million jobs, nearly 52,000 businesses and more than two million of America’s most affluent residents within 20 miles of the stadium site as strong evidence of Northern Virginia’s ability to support a baseball team.
<sh>Spay/Neuter Fund-Raiser
<bt>Petco Animal Supplies and Petco Foundation in Vienna sponsors their annual Round Up/Spay Today Fund-Raiser, a program designed to raise money for local animal welfare organizations that offer spay/neuter programs or education. Ten percent of all funds raised are donated to SPAY/USA, the largest spay/neuter advocacy and referral program in the world. During Round-Up/Spay Today 2004, which runs through Aug. 15, Vienna Petco customers are encouraged to "round up" their purchases to the next highest dollar. To locate the nearest Petco, visit Petco's Web site at www.petco.com. General donations can also be made to the Foundation through the Petco Web site.