<hd>Parkway Crash Kills Aldie Woman, 21
<bt>A 21-year-old Aldie woman died, Tuesday night, after a head-on collision on the Fairfax County Parkway in Fair Oaks. Fairfax County police identified her Wednesday as Kristen R. Morikawa, of 40516 Sousa Place.
Police say the tragedy occurred around 8:30 p.m. Morikawa was driving a Nissan Quest minivan north on the parkway at Lee Highway. However, for an unknown reason, her vehicle crossed over the median and into the southbound lanes, striking a Ford Econoline van head-on.
The van's driver, Ozden Everhart, of Yellow Rail Court in Burke, was Medevaced by a police helicopter to Inova Fairfax Hospital where she was listed Wednesday afternoon in stable condition.
After the crash, the parkway was closed between Lee Highway and I-66 east for approximately four hours. Police say speed was not a factor and seatbelts were in use. Investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.
<sh>Rich Curro Honored
<bt>Sully District police officer Rich Curro was recently honored for making the most DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) arrests in the Sully District during the past year. Officer Curro, who made 31 arrests, was honored by MADD and the Fairfax ASAP (Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention) program. While working in the Mason District, he received the award in 2001 for 38 DWI arrests, and in 2002 for 67 DWI arrests.
<sh>Suspicious Person is Sought
<bt>Fairfax County police are alerting local residents about a suspicious incident, last Friday, May 28, involving a student who attends Deer Park Elementary. Police say a boy, 11, was walking home from the school, around 3 p.m., when the incident occurred.
They say the student was walking on Kamputa Drive when a white, four-door, Honda Civic drove up to him and its driver asked the child to get into the car. The boy refused, and the car drove off. The driver is described a black, male teen-ager wearing a black bandana on his head. He reportedly had a black, female passenger in the car.
Although no crime has occurred, officers from the Sully District Police Station are in contact with school officials and will increase patrols in school neighborhoods. Anyone with information about this case or the driver of the vehicle is asked to call police at 703-691-2131.
<sh>Unlicensed Teen in Accident
<bt>A 14-year-old with no driver's license and no apparent driving experience was involved last week in an accident that injured several people in the Fairfax area. Last Wednesday May 26, around 3:40 p.m., the young driver was traveling south on West Ox Road near Nathanial Oaks Drive. Fairfax County police believe that the driver drifted off the right side of the road and then over-corrected his 1992 Honda Civic.
His vehicle traveled into the northbound lane of West Ox Road and struck another vehicle. The accident is still under investigation and, at this time, no charges have been placed. Police say the boy lives in Woodbridge, but they declined to reveal who owned the car he was driving.
<sh>West Ox Widening Begins
<bt>West Ox Road is now being widened from two to four lanes, divided, for 1.8 miles between Ox Trail and Lawyers Road. The $11 million project began in mid-May and is scheduled for completion in September 2006. Besides adding two more lanes, the work will include sidewalks, a multi-purpose trail, drainage and landscaping.
<sh>Sully Land Use, Transportation
<bt>The Sully District Council of Citizens Associations Land-Use and Transportation Committee will meet Monday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is at the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., in Chantilly. Call Jeff Parnes, evenings, at 703-904-0131.
<sh>Watershed-Management Meeting
<bt>A public meeting dealing with the watershed-management plan for the Cub Run and Bull Run watersheds will be held Tuesday, June 8, from 7-9 p.m. in the Westfield High cafeteria. Streams in these watersheds are deteriorating, aquatic life is disappearing and stream banks are eroding.
To identify and fix water-quality and other stream-related problems, Fairfax County and other entities will develop a watershed-management plan. At Tuesday's meeting, local residents will be able to discuss issues concerning their neighborhood streams, water quality, drainage problems, flooding and other environmental concerns. To register for the meeting, e-mail Chuck Moore at mooreci@cdm.com or call 703-642-5500.
<sh>Help Plan Centreville Day
<bt>The Centreville Community Foundation (CCF) will hold a Centreville Day planning meeting, Wednesday, June 9, at 7 p.m. at the Centreville Regional Library. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend and help plan this fun-filled, annual, Centreville celebration. Volunteers are needed!
<sh>Park Authority to Meet
<bt>The next meeting of the Fairfax County Park Authority is Wednesday, June 9, 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>Supervisors Approve Rezoning
<bt>It's a thumbs-up for Continental-Packaging Associates. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors last week approved its request for a rezoning. The business is on Pleasant Valley Road, about half a mile from Route 50, in the Lafayette Business Park in Chantilly. Because it wanted to expand into a second building there, it sought a rezoning of that building.
Its current I-3 industrial zoning limits the amount of warehousing that may be done there, but the proposed I-4 industrial zoning allows for more flexibility in warehouse usage. The new building would be used for storage, but that's not allowed in an I-3 area.
On April 7, the county Planning Commission unanimously approved the request. Then last Monday, May 24, the Supervisors also OK'd the plan. As part of the project, the building will have a 6-foot, brick wall around it, with screening on both sides.
<sh>Assistance League Sampler
<bt>The Assistance League of Northern Virginia (ALNV) will hold an Assistance League Sampler meeting to inform community residents and prospective members about its philanthropic projects. It's set for Monday, June 14, from 11 a.m.-12 noon at the Chantilly Regional Library.
ALNV is dedicated to promoting the well-being, self-esteem and education of at-risk youth and adults living in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties. Contact ALNV president Cindy Burgess at 703-758-8454 or P.O. Box 209, Herndon, VA 20172. The Web site is www.assistanceleague.org.
<sh>WFCM Urgently Needs Food
<bt>Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) is in urgent need of canned goods and groceries for its food pantry for local needy families. Especially needed is food for children, including: Breakfast cereal; peanut butter; jelly; macaroni and cheese; canned fruit and fruit juices; canned meats such as tuna, salmon, corned beef and Spam; spaghetti sauce; canned pasta meals; and baby formula.
Items may be brought to WFCM's Shepherd Center in the Sully Plaza Shopping Center. It's at 13981 Metrotech Drive, next to Midas Muffler and near Backyard Grill & Bar and Blockbuster Video.
<sh>Blood Donations are Sought
<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.