<sh>Police Seek Robbery Suspect
<bt> On Jan. 31 at 8:40 p.m., an 18-year-old female city resident, working as a teller at the cash checking business at 3827 Mt. Vernon Ave., was robbed. The suspect entered the business and was talking on his cell phone. When the teller came from around her counter to tell the suspect to leave, he pushed his way into the secured area of the business and forced the female teller to the ground. The suspect opened one of the teller drawers and stole money before fleeing from the business on foot. The suspect is described as a black male, 30-35 years old, 5 feet 9 inches-6 feet tall, 180-200 pounds with a goatee and mustache and was wearing a gray jacket with a hood, a white t-shirt, black pants with a yellow stripe down the leg and a dark wool winter hat with white stripes around it.
If anyone has further information about this case or can identify the man in this video surveillance photo, call the Alexandria Police Department's Criminal Investigations Section at 703-838-4711.
<sh>Route 1 Ramp Delays Anticipated
<bt>A traffic impact from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is anticipated to start on or about Monday, Feb. 7, when the ramp that takes drivers from northbound U.S. Route 1 to I-495/Capital Beltway North, Outer Loop loses a lane and merges with the southbound Route 1 to Outer Loop ramp.
At present, the ramps from northbound and southbound Route 1 form two lanes which enter the Outer Loop. As early as next week, the two ramps will merge and taper down to one lane for approximately one quarter of a mile before entering the Outer Loop.
This lane reduction, which is expected to be in place for approximately one year, is necessary for work to occur in preparation for tying-in traffic to the newly widened Outer Loop. As this traffic tie-in approaches, the one lane condition affecting southbound and northbound Route 1 drivers accessing the Outer Loop will be shifted onto a temporary ramp that will be built slightly southeast of the existing ramps. In approximately one year, drivers will find relief as new, permanent ramps from south and northbound Route 1 to the Outer Loop are opened.
<sh>Performance To Help Tsunami Victims
<bt>In celebration of Black History Month, Tapestry Theatre, a non-profit community theatre, will present "Flyin' West," the story of four former slaves, who in a post-Civil War era, traveled from Memphis, Tennessee to Nicodemus, Kansas, an African-American frontier town to become landowners. The show will run Feb. 18 - March 6, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Cost: $15, adults; $12, seniors and students; with a special discount for groups of 20 or more. Lee Kauffman Auditorium 1108 Jefferson St. Call 703-566-0009 or visit www.tapestrytheatre.com. Tapestry Theatre will be donating half of their opening night proceeds to WaveAid, an Alexandria-based Tsunami relief organization. WaveAid will be present at all performances selling bracelets to benefit Tsunami victims as well.
<sh>Marijuana Bought with Credit Cards
<bt>Jermaine Thorpe, 22, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria on Jan. 28 to 18 months in prison for selling credit card numbers and identity information of active duty military personnel, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Thorpe, who worked as a contract employee at the Pentagon, obtained credit card information of military personnel from files that were stored with the Office of the Comptroller for the United States Air Force. Thorpe also obtained and distributed a list of names and social security numbers of people who worked for the Air Force so the information could be used to commit identity fraud.
After Thorpe sold 80 credit card numbers in exchange for approximately 25 pounds of marijuana, he was arrested in Aug. 2004. Thorpe was also sentenced for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
There was no reported monetary loss, according to the press release, because the individual who obtained the credit card numbers provided the information to the Alexandria Police Department, which investigated the case with the U.S. Secret Service and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.
<sh>Lay Files for 45th District
<bt>After filing his official paperwork earlier this month, Jim Lay kicked off his candidacy to represent the 45th district for the Virginia House of Delegates. Lay is a member of the State Bar of Virginia, the Alexandria Bar Association, and the Judicial Selections Committee for the Alexandria Bar. He holds a juris doctorate degree, master of arts in international transactions degree and bachelor of philosophy degree from George Mason University. He has worked on Capital Hill and in the Virginia House.
He served as an Alexandria prosecutor between 2000 and 2003. As a prosecutor, Lay handled various dockets from white collar crimes to narcotics and firearms offenses. Now in private practice, he serves as general counsel to both the Alexandria Police Union (AFL-CIO, local 5) and the Arlington Police Union (AFL-CIO, local 48). A part-time law professor at American University's Washington College of Law, he lectures on oral advocacy, professional responsibility and legal research and writing. He is currently on paternity leave, expecting the birth of his second child.
Lay lives in Alexandria with his wife Martina and 2-year-old daughter Emma Jane.
<sh>Life Behind the Badge
<bt>There is still time to sign up for the Alexandria Citizens' Police Academy. The 20th session begins March 16 and the Wednesday evening class runs until May 25. Learn about traffic enforcement, narcotics operations, hostage negotiation, K-9 work, crime scene investigation, special tactics and internal affairs. Academy members will get to ride with police officers, go inside the 911 center, and even make deadly force decisions. To apply, contact Kim Purcell at 703-838-4520.
<sh>Public Meetings on City Budget
<bt>The City Council has announced the schedule of work sessions and public hearings for the FY 2006 budget. City Manager Jim Hartmann will present his Fiscal Year 2006 budget proposals to the City Council during the legislative meeting on March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber, City Hall, 301 King St. The proposals for the FY 2006 Operating Budget and the proposed FY 2005-2011 Capital Improvement Program will be posted on the city’s Web site on March 9. Copies will also be available in the Office of Management and Budget, City Hall. The City Council is scheduled to adopt the FY 2006 operating and capital budgets on May 2.
A series of budget work sessions and public hearings are planned before the City Council is scheduled to adopt the FY 2006 budget on May 2. The following budget meetings are open to the public and will be held in the Council Workroom or Council Chamber in City Hall, 301 King St., March 15: Work Session, 7 p.m.; March 29: Work Session, 7 p.m.; April 4: Public Hearing, 4 p.m.; April 6: Work Session with the School Board, 7 p.m.; April 11: Work Session, 7 p.m.; April 27: Work Session, 7 p.m.; May 2: 6 p.m. Work Session and 7 p.m. Budget and Tax Rate Adoption.
To sign up to speak at the public hearing, call 703-838-4550 or visit alexandriava.gov and click on Council Dockets.