Plea Deal in Pizza Murder
<bt>Metkel Alana, a suspect in the Sept. 16 murder of a Pizza Hut deliveryman in Old Town, entered a plea of guilty Tuesday morning at the Alexandria Courthouse. In an agreement that included the commonwealth dropping five counts of a 10-count indictment, Alana, 26, pleaded guilty to five counts, including first-degree murder, robbery and grand larceny. Charges dropped by the commonwealth include robbery and forgery.
In a 30-minute hearing, Commonwealth Attorney S. Randolph Sengel presented a brief account of the case that would have been made by the prosecution. In the proffered statement of evidence, Sengel outlined the case against Alana, which was substantial enough to persuade the defendant to enter a plea agreement.
Alana's sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 28. The maximum penalty he faces is two life sentences plus 28 years.
<sh>Guilty Plea in Lawyer Abduction
<bt>Aubrey "Mike" Berryman, one of the three men charged in the Dec. 7 abduction of an Alexandria lawyer, pleaded guilty on March 3 during a hearing at the Alexandria Courthouse. Berryman, 26, pleaded guilty to six counts, including abduction, burglary and assault.
Berryman's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 23. The maximum penalty he faces is two life sentences plus 14 years.
<sh>Tsunami Relief Fund Campaign
<bt>The City Council has authorized a two-month fund-raising effort — ending April 30 — to help meet the emergency needs of the South East Asian countries affected by the tsunami. Donations will be dedicated to supporting the work of Shelter for Life (SFL), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The city’s goal is to raise $20,000.
Shelter for Life, www.shelter.org, specializes in emergency and permanent housing for refugees, internally displaced persons, and disaster victims. The agency is an implementing partner of the United Nations and the U.S. State Department, and is registered as a Private Voluntary Organization with the USAID.
Tax deductible donations may be made online by eChecks at alexandriava.gov or by mailing a check, payable to “City of Alexandria-Tsunami Relief Project,” to the Department of Finance, 301 King St., Room 1600, Alexandria, VA 22314.
<sh>Excellence in Aging Awards
<bt>The Alexandria Commission on Aging is seeking nominations for the 2005 Excellence in Aging Awards. The annual awards honor Alexandrians who have demonstrated superior contributions in advancing issues and projects that favorably affect older residents. Individuals and organizations can be nominated for the awards. Nominations must be postmarked by Thursday, March 31, and mailed to Excellence in Aging Awards, c/o Bill Harris, 1106 Tuckahoe Lane, Alexandria, VA 22302. Nominations can be e-mailed to wpharris@comcast.net.
The 2005 Excellence in Aging Awards will be presented at a special Successful Aging luncheon on May 9 at the Holiday Inn Select in Old Town, 480 King St.
To obtain a nomination form, call City of Alexandria’s Office of Aging and Adult Services at 703-838-0920.
<sh>Spring Clean-up Scheduled
<bt>The City of Alexandria will conduct its annual “Spring Clean-up” collection event on four Saturdays in April: April 2, 9, 16 and 23. This free service is available to residents who receive city trash collection. The city is divided into four service areas; residents will be notified which Saturday in April to set out acceptable items for collection. A map of collection areas and other information is available online at alexandriava.gov/tes/sw. Residents should place materials out at the curb (no alley pick-up) before 7 a.m. on their assigned collection day. Materials should be placed in
containers, brush and lumber must be tied into bundles no longer than four feet, not weighing more than 75 pounds. Acceptable items include appliances, furniture, mattresses, tires off the rim and brush (tied in bundles). Unacceptable items include concrete, hazardous waste, building
materials. Call the Solid Waste Division at 703-751-5130.
<sh>Targeting Predatory Towing
<bt>U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) joined with Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA-48) to offer an amendment giving states and localities greater ability to rein-in rogue towing operators that harass residents in Northern Virginia and other jurisdictions around the country. The amendment is attached to H.R. 3, the six-year surface transportation reauthorization bill officially known as the "Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users". The Cox-Moran amendment passed the House by a unanimous voice vote.
The Cox-Moran towing amendment gives States the right to require that tow truck operators receive written permission from the property owner or an agent of the property owner before making a non-consensual or "trespass" tow off of the owner's property.
<sh>Center Offers Job Fair
<bt>UCM Workforce Development Center will hold its Spring Job Fair, Friday, March 18, at the South County Government Center, 8350 Richmond Highway, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Applicants should bring a resume and dress in interview attire. Employers from government and private industry will be interviewing for a variety of positions.
As part of the Job Fair there will also be three Micro Business Workshops:
* 10 a.m. to Noon - Programs and services available to small businesses from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
* 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Introduction to Business Planning will be offered by ECDC Enterprise Development Group.
* 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Micro loan programs available from ECDC Enterprise Development Group and Community Business Partnership.
For more information contact the Center at 703-360-9088 Ext. 101.