<sh>Burglar Caught in McLean Area
<bt>On Friday, Feb. 3, at around 1:45 p.m., county police responded to a residential burglary alarm in the 1300 block of Mayflower Drive. According to Fairfax County Police, a man was seen fleeing the area on foot as officers arrived in the area. After a foot pursuit that ended near Dolley Madison Boulevard and Statendam Court, the man was apprehended with evidence that police said connected him to the burglary. Further investigation by officers connected the suspect to another burglary that occurred that same afternoon in the 1000 block of Forest Wood Drive. James Scantlin, 40, of 403 Davis Avenue in Leesburg, was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with two counts of attempted burglary and possession of burglary tools.
<sh>McLean Business Owners Sentenced for Tax Fraud
<bt>Paul J. McNulty, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charles R. Pine, special agent-in-charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, announced the sentencing of business partners Stanley H. Zabel and H. Kent Street, for violating federal law prohibiting individuals from structuring cash transactions in an attempt to cause a financial institution to not file Currency Transaction Reports (CTR) with the Internal Revenue Service. Both Zabel and Street were also sentenced for violating personal income tax IRS laws, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release. The Honorable U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema sentenced Zabel, 56, of Alexandria, to two years probation and 60 days incarceration, and ordered him to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $66,231.43. On Nov. 4, 2005, the Honorable U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee sentenced Street to 60 days in prison, followed by four months of home detention and ordered him to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $148,081. Zabel and Street, co-owners and operators of the Swimming Pool Doctor in McLean, attempted to hide cash and income from the IRS when they structured $67,000 in deposits and withdrawals at the McLean and Tysons Corner branches of Cardinal Bank. "Structuring" involves the illegal splitting up of cash deposits or withdrawals into smaller amounts in order to avoid a bank's discovery of large cash transactions. The Bank Secrecy Act requires that banks report cash deposits or withdrawals of over $10,000 to the IRS. "Structuring" is also a method employed by those attempting to evade taxes or hide income from the IRS. These cases were investigated by the IRS's Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark D. Lytle.
<sh>Positions Open on McLean Community Center Governing Board
<bt>McLean Community Center is encouraging district residents who have a proven record of leadership and community service to enter the race for a seat on the center’s 2006-2007 Governing Board. The board sets policy and provides general oversight for MCC facilities and programs, which include the Robert Ames Alden Theatre and the Old Firehouse Teen Center on Chain Bridge Road. The center is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave.
All residents of the center’s tax district, Dranesville Small District No. 1A, are eligible. Candidates are required to obtain the signatures of 10 McLean District residents in order to have their names placed on the election ballot. Nominating petition forms will be available at the center beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 27. The deadline for filing completed petitions is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 31.
Four adult positions and two youth positions are open this year. Adult members serve three-year terms; however, due to the recent resignation of Board Chair Patricia Velander, one adult position will be for the one year remaining on her term. Youth members serve one-year terms. Youth candidates must be 15 to 17 years old. One youth member will be selected from the area served by McLean High School, and one will represent the area served by Langley High School. Candidates do not have to attend these schools to serve on the board.
<sh>McLean Orchestra Presents 'Romeo and Juliet'
<bt>This Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. the McLean Orchestra will present its own unique interpretation of Shakespeare's tale of star-crossed love, "Romeo and Juliet." The concert will interweave dramatic readings from the play with three renowned orchestral interpretations of the story by Berlioz, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky.
McKee is assisting the orchestra in creating a study guide for area teachers interested in preparing their students to fully appreciate the concert, and he is helping with outreach efforts to other schools. The study guide is available at the orchestras Web site, www.mclean-orchestra.org. The orchestra is making $15 tickets available to groups of 15 or more teachers, students and their family members.
The "Romeo and Juliet" concert will take place at Oakcrest School, 850 Balls Hill Road, McLean. Tickets are $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $5 for children aged 12 and under. To purchase tickets call 703-797-5751 or visit www.mclean-orchestra.org. Group sale tickets must be purchased by phone.
<sh>Play Contest for High School Students
<bt>The McLean Drama Company is sponsoring a 10-minute play contest in two sections for high school students in McLean and outside McLean in Fairfax County. The three winning plays in each category will be given a staged reading at the McLean Community center. Deadline for the contest is March 15. Queries can be addressed to Rachel Bail at rachbail@yahoo.com.
<sh>Vendors Sought for Taste of McLean
<bt>The eighth annual "It's All About the Food: A Taste of McLean," produced by the McLean Community Center, will be held on Saturday, March 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center. Area restauranteurs, caterers, party planners, in-home chefs, bakers, and owners of kitchen accessory and gourmet food stores who would like to participate can contact Community Events Director Sam Roberts at 703-790-0123 or at sam.roberts@fairfaxcounty.gov. Or, download a registration form at www.mcleancenter.org by clicking on "Community Events."