Correction
<bt>The article regarding teacher Alice Foltz returning from her trip to Japan, which was sponsored by the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund [Loudoun Connection, Jan. 25-31, 2006] misidentified the origins of the program. The Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund is funded entirely by the Japanese government; and was established by the Japanese government in 1996 as an expression of appreciation on behalf of the approximately 6,800 Japanese who have participated in the U.S. government-sponsored Fulbright Program since 1952.
<sh>Gangs Meeting
<bt>U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf (R-10) will speak on ÒGang Issues in Loudoun CountyÓ when the Loudoun Education Alliance of Parents (LEAP) meets on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m., in the School Board Meeting Room in the School Administration Building, 21000 Education Court, Ashburn. There is no fee to attend and members of the general public are welcome. For more information, visit the Loudoun County Public Schools Web site, www.loudoun.k12.va.us.
<sh>Power Line Meetings
<bt>Dominion Virginia Power is proposing to construct a new 230 kilovolt transmission line from its existing Pleasant View substation, located east of Leesburg off Cochran Mill Road, to a new substation site northwest of Hamilton near the intersection of Berlin Turnpike and Route 7.ÊÊ
The State Corporation Commission will hold a public hearing in Loudoun County on the utility's proposal with three sessions to be held over two days. The first session will begin at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, followed by an evening session beginning at 7 p.m. The third public hearing session will begin Thursday, Feb. 9, at 9:30 a.m. and continue until finished. The hearings will be held in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., in Leesburg. The hearings will be televised live on Adelphia's Government Channel 2. The notice for the public hearing is available on the State Corporation Commission's Web site.
On Nov. 15, 2005, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution of continued opposition to the installation of the proposed transmission line along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. The resolution also calls for continued support of underground construction as the preferred method of installation. In October 2004, the Board unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Dominion Virginia Power to submit the Route 7 corridor to state regulators as the primary route for the new transmission line and to put it underground.
The utility has posted information about the proposal on its Web site, including a presentation made to the Board of Supervisors on October 5, 2004.
<sh>More Hearings Set
<bt>The Loudoun County Planning Commission has sent letters to property owners who would be affected by proposed zoning, subdivision and Comprehensive Plan changes in rural Loudoun, specifically the Rural Policy Area of the county.
The letters were mailed notifying property owners of the proposed new zoning classification that will affect allowable uses and densities of their property.
The letters also notify property owners of the upcoming Planning Commission public hearings on the proposals scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m., at the Loudoun County High School auditorium, 415 Dry Mill Road, S.W., Leesburg, and Saturday, Feb. 11, at 9 a.m., in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E. in Leesburg.
The proposed amendments would restore the Agricultural Rural zoning designation to the areas predominately zoned A-3 Agricultural Residential. The proposed amendments would allow a property owner to create a subdivision one lot at a time or as a cluster subdivision or as a conventional subdivision. Many uses that are currently allowed by a special exception process in the A-3 district are proposed to be permitted by right pursuant to a number of performance standards within the Agricultural Rural zoning districts.
Copies of the proposed amendments are available on the Loudoun County Government Web site at www.loudoun.gov/rural or at the government center
at the public counters in the Department of Building and Development and the Department of Planning.
<sh>Wolf Meetings
<bt>U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) will hold a series of town meetings across the 10th District in February. Locally, he will be in Chantilly, 9:30 a.m., at Franklin Middle School, 3300 Lees Corner Road; and in Ashburn, noon, at Loudoun County School Board Administration Building, 21000 Education Court, both on Saturday, Feb. 11.
<sh>Hughes Institute Fire
<bt>The Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire that resulted in $1.5 million damage to a building under construction at the Howard Hughes Institute Sunday evening. According to the fire department, around 5:55 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 5, Loudoun Fire-Rescue received a 911 call for a structure fire at 44401 Scientific Way.
First arriving units discovered that approximately half of a
three-story building that was under construction on fire. Crews were able to stop the fire before it consumed the entire building. Approximately 30 percent of the building, which was to be used for residential housing at the Howard
Hughes Institute, was destroyed and another 30 percent received extensive damage. Crews were able to keep the fire from spreading to the remaining 40 percent of the building.
The cause of the fire and dollar loss is pending the investigation by the Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.
<sh>Brothers Robbed
<bt>A teenager and his little brother were robbed
by three suspects this weekend in Sterling, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The 18-year-old teen and his 10-year-old brother were riding their bikes in the 100 block of Circle Drive around 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3, when they saw three suspects heading toward them; one of the suspects appeared to be holding a firearm.
The two victims attempted to flee but were caught by the three suspects; one of whom told them to give them money. After taking a small amount of cash the suspect discharged his weapon at the 18-year-old victim. The weapon was either a pellet or BB gun. The suspects then fled the scene.
The main suspect in the incident is described as a Hispanic male, 6 feet in height. The two other suspects were said to be 6 feet tall and were wearing hooded sweatshirts that were pulled down over their faces during the incident.
The 18-year-old victim received minor injuries in the incident but did not require medical treatment. The incident was reported to the Sheriff' Office Saturday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Butler of the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division at 703-777-0475.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.
<sh>Teen Sentenced
<bt>A Leesburg juvenile charged in two robberies and certified as an adult was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday morning, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Jeffon Quartiz Wilson, 18, was charged with two counts of robbery in July 2005 for his involvement in two armed robberies of pizza delivery men. Loudoun Circuit Court Judge James Chamblin sentenced Wilson to 20 years in prison, with all but 10 years suspended.
Also charged in the robberies was Franklin Rommel Sosa-Carmona, 19, of Round Hill. Sosa-Carmona entered a plea to two robberies in October of last year, according to the Sheriff's Office. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13.
The two were charged for a June 18 robbery in Leesburg and a second robbery taking place the following evening in Ashburn.
Wilson was 17 years old at the time of the robberies but was certified as an adult by the Office of the Loudoun Commonwealth's Attorney.