Correction
<bt>Five Loudoun County public schools failed to make Òadequate yearly progressÓ as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Initially, seven schools were cited, but the school district won an appeal regarding Sterling Middle School and Harmony Intermediate School. A Connection newspaper story about the year in review failed to mention the successful appeal.
<sh>Baseball's Last Gasp
<bt>On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors was due to make a decision on adopting the Diamond Lake comprehensive plan amendment that would build a community around a baseball stadium. Since the push to bring Major League Baseball to Virginia ended last year, the Diamond Lake project died with it. "As you know, the intended proposed anchor for this plan amendment did not come to pass," wrote Diamond Lake Assoc. LLC president Leonard S. Mitchel in a letter to supervisors asking that they drop the item from their agenda. Supervisor Bruce Tulloch (R-Potomac) eulogized the team of developers who comprised Diamond Lake Assoc. LLC: "Their passion to bring baseball far outweighed their passion for developing this property," he said.
But don't expect the site to remain empty. "This site and quadrant is, I still believe, to be a future economic engine for Loudoun County and should receive greater attention in the future," Mitchel wrote.
Driving Instructor Charged
<bt>A Leesburg man was arrested Thursday, Jan. 14, for taking indecent liberties with a Loudoun County juvenile, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
George Larry Herndon, 53, is a private driving instructor and operates GLH Driving School based out of Leesburg. During a driving lesson on Tuesday Herndon is alleged to have made inappropriate contact with a 16-year-old Loudoun County female. The victim reported the incident to authorities later that same evening.
Herndon has been charged with indecent liberties by a custodian and assault and battery. A Loudoun Magistrate released him on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
Anyone who has additional information about the suspect is asked to contact Investigator S. Coderre with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
<sh>Representative Hours
<bt>Frank Sadler, a representative of U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), will have office hours at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., Leeburg, Jan. 20, from 1-2:30 p.m. The purpose is to discuss issues facing the area with constituents and to help anyone having problems with a federal agency. Call Sadler at 703-966-6036.
<sh>Tax Filing Deadline Mix Up
<bt>An error by a local mail contracting firm may cause Loudoun County taxpayers to miss the Feb. 1, 2005, tax filing deadline.
The Commissioner of the Revenue recently mailed more than 150,000 personal property tax declarations to persons who own personal property in Loudoun County. According to county officials, MDI Imaging & Mail, a local firm contracted for mailing services with the county, stuffed some forms in
envelopes that read "Deadline March 1" or "Deadline April 15."
The forms were mailed for the Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue and may be due Feb. 1. Persons who have recently received a letter from the Commissioner of the Revenue, are asked to open it immediately to ensure they do not miss the filing deadline.
Although the majority of envelopes had the correct deadline of Feb. 1, some forms may be in envelopes with an incorrect deadline. The contractor is unable to determine the exact number of residents that may be affected.
Commissioner of the Revenue Bob Wertz said he will try to work with taxpayers who may have been negatively impacted by this situation. The Commissioner of the Revenue's office can be contacted at 703-777-0260.
<sh>Pizza Delivery Man Robbed
<bt>The Sheriff's Office is investigating a robbery Wednesday, Jan. 12, of a pizza delivery man in Sterling.
The 29-year-old delivery man, who works for Pizza Hut, told authorities he was delivering a pizza in the 700 block of North Argonne Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. when he was approached by two unknown male suspects.
One of the suspects allegedly brandished a firearm and removed the delivery man's wallet, which contained cash.
One suspect was described as having light skin, possibly Hispanic and the second was described as dark skinned, possibly a black male. Both suspects were wearing hooded sweatshirts with the hoods pulled over their heads during the robbery.
This is the second robbery of a pizza delivery man in recent weeks. On Dec. 30, a pizza delivery man told authorities he was robbed at gun point around 8:15 p.m. in the area of Quarter Path Trace.
According to the victim the suspect, described as a black male, approached him and allegedly brandished a firearm and asked for money. The suspect was wearing a red, hooded sweatshirt and is said to have left the scene in a red two-door vehicle. The suspect left the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Anyone with information about either case is asked to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. To remain anonymous contact Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.
<sh>Alcohol Factor in Accident
<bt>A single-vehicle accident that occurred Tuesday, Jan. 11, injuring a Sterling woman, may be alcohol related, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
Shortly before 3:39 p.m. the Sheriff's Office Crash Team responded to the area of Avondale Drive and Three Oaks Court in Sterling where a car had runoff the roadway.
According to investigators Ayesah Akbar Khan, 21, was driving a 2000 Honda Civic westbound when she went to the extreme left side of the roadway in the curve, struck a mailbox and then a parked 1996 Ford Crown Victoria. The Honda continued back to the right side of the street where it hit the curb and then struck a tree in front of a house on Avondale Drive.
Khan was airlifted to Inova Fairfax Hospital for treatment of her injuries. Both front airbags did deploy and it is believed that Khan was not wearing her seat belt.
Khan has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
<sh>Zoning Input Sought
<bt>The Ad Hoc Zoning Ordinance Review Committee is seeking public comment on the 2005 review of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance from interested individuals and organizations.
The Board of Supervisors approved the review of the Zoning Ordinance to address conflicts between the ordinance and changes in state code provisions, other county land use policies, technical application of ordinance provisions and editorial clarity and consistency.
Any ideas, language or general comments relevant to the Zoning Ordinance review may be sent to the committee in care of Zoning Administrator Melinda Artman by e-mail at martman@loudoun.gov or to the Department of Building and Development, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177. Submissions are due by Feb. 28, and should include a complete description of the issue to be addressed, the reasons for the suggested amendment, the impacts which will occur if the ordinance is not amended, and draft language.
In addition, the committee will hold a public input session
Wednesday, Feb. 2, beginning at 7 p.m., in the Board Room of
the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E. in
Leesburg. The public is invited to come and speak to any issue or concern that meets the criteria for inclusion in the annual review. Written submissions are welcome and helpful.
More information about the Zoning Ordinance and the review process is available online on the Loudoun County Government Web site at www.loudoun.gov/b&d/zoning.
<sh>Surplus Store To Open
<bt>The Loudoun County Surplus Store will resume its Saturday openings on Jan. 29. In addition to being open the last Saturday of each month, the Surplus Store is open the first and third Wednesday and Friday of each month. Hours of operation are 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The store is located at 14 Cardinal Park Drive, Suite 106, in Leesburg.
The Surplus Store sells excess county property, such as computers, desks and chairs. The store also features unclaimed items confiscated by the Sheriff's Office, such as bicycles, sporting equipment, compact discs and Christmas ornaments. Prices at the store range from $15 to $90 for bicycles, $15 to $40 for computer monitors, $10 to $40 for desks, $3 for keyboards and $2 for chairs.
Photos of the items for sale and directions to the store are available on the Loudoun County Government Web site at www.loudoun.gov/surplus.
<sh>Volunteers Sought
<bt>The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is looking for volunteers to fill current vacancies on the following county and regional advisory boards, commissions and committees.
* Advisory Commission on Youth: Sugarland Run District.
* Affordable Dwelling Unit Advisory Board: Single-family home builder.
* Animal Advisory Committee: Potomac District.
* Building Code and Appeals Board: Building industry representative.
* Bull Run Alcohol Safety Action Program: One at-large representative.
* Commission on Aging: Sterling District.
* Commission on Women: Potomac and Sterling districts.
* Commuter Bus Advisory Board: Potomac, Sterling and Sugarland Run districts.
* Disability Services Board: At-large business representatives or representatives who have a disability or who have a family member with a disability.
* Dulles Town Center Community Development Authority: One representative.
* Equal Employment Opportunity Plan Committee: At-large representatives.
* Industrial Development Authority: Two at-large representatives.
* Open Space Advisory Committee: Broad Run and Sugarland Run districts.
* Road Viewers Board: At-large representatives.
* Social Services Board: Two at-large representatives.
* Woods Road Special Exception Oversight Committee: At-large representatives.
For information about specific vacancies, contact Sally Keefer, Board of Supervisors office, 703-771-5034. Information about each board, committee and commission is available on the Loudoun County Government Web site at www.loudoun.gov/advisory.
<sh>Shelter Adoption Policy Change
<bt>The Loudoun County Animal Shelter announces that it is now authorized to adopt shelter animals out to individuals who live outside Loudoun County and its adjacent jurisdictions. In the past, the shelter has been restricted from adopting animals to anyone but area residents. However, on Dec. 14, the Board of Supervisors adopted revisions to the law governing the shelter that allow animals to be adopted to people regardless of the county, or even the state, in which they live. Interested applicants will still be required to abide by shelter guidelines and adoption procedures.