<sh>Fatal Crash in Great Falls Area
<bt>On Wednesday, April 19, at around 10 p.m., an 18-year-old man was killed in a single vehicle crash. According to Fairfax County Police, the driver Thomas Carroll of Silver Spring, Md., was traveling southbound in the 700 block of Springvale Road. Police say that Carroll failed to negotiate a right-hand curve and crossed over the double yellow line. Carroll then attempted to return to the southbound lane, but over corrected and lost control of his vehicle. The 1999 Chevy Suburban ran off the road and rolled over. Carroll was dead at the scene. The preliminary investigation indicated that Carroll was not wearing a seatbelt and that speed was a factor.
<sh>Celebrate Virginia Historic Langley Forks Trail Event
<bt>The McLean and Great Falls Celebrate Virginia 1607-2007 organization is one of the first four communities recognized by the State of Virginia as an official community program commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Founding of Jamestown (1607-2007). Participating communities agree to adopt a program that highlights the community's history, find ways to make their community a better place to live, work and visit, adopt projects to be completed before or during 2007 that will be a lasting legacy for present and future citizens of the community, and plan activities in 2007 that will invite visitors from around the nation to "Come Home to Virginia." Fulfilling these goals for the McLean and Great Falls communities, two historic trails have been identified in McLean as legacy projects. The trails have been established or refurbished and documented for the public to enjoy. The Georgetown Pike Walking Trail will be dedicated on Sunday, April 30, at 2 p.m. Participants will meet at the Langley Forks Historic Marker on Georgetown Pike. Parking is available adjacent to the site
<sh>Langley School Hosts Blood Drive
<bt>On Saturday, May 6, The Langley School will host an American Red Cross blood drive from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the main gym of the school's Solomon Athletic Center, located at 1411 Balls Hill Road in McLean. Although Langley students are too young to give blood themselves, they will help spread the word about the blood drive in the community, and will create thank you cards for donors. Only five percent of the eligible U.S. population donates blood in any given year. Blood donors must be 17 years and older, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in generally good health, have not received a tattoo within the past year, and have not donated blood in the last 56 days. The donation process takes about an hour. It starts with registration, a health history, and a mini-physical. The actual donation of blood, usually takes less than 10-12 minutes. Afterward, donors will be asked to spend a few minutes in the "canteen" where they can enjoy light refreshments before returning to normal activities. For those planning to give blood on May 6, Langley and the American Red Cross ask that they schedule their lifesaving donation ahead of time by calling Anne Goldfein at 703-356-1920.
<sh>Cooper Middle Class Reunion
<bt>On Saturday, April 29, from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., 20 students from Carolyn Powell's seventh grade English, Social Studies and Guidance class, 1966-67, will once again take their seats again at Cooper Middle School in room 209. The event will be followed by a dinner cruise with 120 other former Cooper students and faculty on The Odyssey in Washington D.C. For more information, contact Sue Carrington at 703-922-0033, or at scarrington@cox.net.
<sh>Great Falls Day
<bt>Great Falls Day will be held on May 6, and will begin with the sixth Annual Native Plant Sale, sponsored by the Friends of Riverbend Park. The sale will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The opening ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. on the Hay Wagon Stage in front of the Grange. The one-room school house re-enactment is a local event in which the local Girl Scouts from McLean and Great Falls have participated every year. This will be their 10th anniversary. The re-enactment is a day in school in the early 1900's. The girls wear period clothing and take part in skits that demonstrate a typical day in that era. Historic picture displays will also be in the Old School House on the Grange grounds from 12-4 p.m. Other activities will include, tours of the fire safety trailer, sundial demonstrations, craft demonstrations, music by local talent, food vendors, exhibits by local organizations, raffle drawings and activities in the Great Falls Library. This event is sponsored by the Great Falls Historical Society and the Fairfax County Park Authority. For more information, please contact Betty Swartz at 703-759-2378, or Calvin Follin at 703-759-7680. You may also visit the Great Falls Historical Web site at www.gfhs.org.
<sh>Spraying for Gypsy Moths
<bt>Beginning in May, Fairfax County will begin its aerial spraying program to suppress gypsy moth caterpillars. Spraying will be concentrated in five locations in the Clifton, Herndon and Great Falls areas. Helicopters will spray a naturally occurring insecticide in the following treatment areas:
*Area 1 is an 80-acre area located next to Bull Run and I-66.
*Area 2 is an 88-acre area located in the town of Herndon around Herndon Parkway and Dranesville Road.
*Area 3 is a 99-acre area around the intersection of Georgetown Pike and Utterback Store Road.
*Area 4 is a 46-acre area in the village of Great Falls near the intersection of Georgetown Pike and Walker Road.
*Area 5 is a 185-acre area just north of Brook Road and north of the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Lewinsville Road.
The county will use a naturally occurring bacteria — Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt. — as an insecticide. Extensive research has shown that Bt. is not harmful to people, pets, plants or beneficial insects, such as honeybees. For more information about the treatment program or affected areas, call the county’s Forest Pest Program at 703-324-5304, TTY 711, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/pests.htm.
<sh>Correction
<bt>In the "Week In McLean" section of the March 22-28 issue of the McLean Connection and the Great Falls Connection there was an error in the "StarNut Gourmet to the Rescue" brief. It was incorrectly stated that Waterford Development prevented Ann Page from holding an event at The Palladium in McLean. This action was actually taken by the Palladium's homeowner's association, the Palladium Condominium Association, and did not involve Waterford Development. The Palladium Condominium Association concluded that the event fell outside the parameters of the established uses of the Palladium community room and subsequently asked Page to relocate the event.
<sh>Correction
<bt>In the April 5-11 edition of the McLean Connection, there was an error in a photo description on page 3. The photo, which was part of the story "Holding on to Homes" by Aranya Tomseth, incorrectly refers to the house pictured as being constructed by Equity Builders. The correct company is Elite Homes.