Attempted Abduction at Shopping Center
Fairfax County Crime Solvers is asking the public to help identify the man responsible for attempting to abduct a 39-year-old Reston area woman on Friday, Jan. 20.
Around 7:20 p.m. that day, the woman parked her car next to a video store at the center, said a Fairfax County Police report. As the woman exited her car, the suspect grabbed her. He attempted to force her into a van, which was parked next to her car, the report stated. When the woman screamed, a passer-by came over to help her, which caused the suspect to release the woman and flee in his van. The victim left the store and drove to another location where police were then called, said the report. The victim sustained minor injuries.
The suspect was described as black, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 200-220 pounds. He was heavy-set and had black hair and a full beard. He was wearing blue work pants, a dark T-shirt and white sneakers, said the police report. He did not have an accent. The van was described as a Chevrolet van, dark green in color. There were no windows on the sides but the rear of the van had side-by-side doors with windows.
Detectives are asking the passer-by who rendered aid to the victim to contact police.
Anyone with information on this attempted abduction, the suspect or the van is asked to call Fairfax County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477. A $1,000 cash reward will be paid for information that leads to an arrest. Callers never have to give their names or appear in court.
‘Strange’ Shooting in Reston Area
In an incident investigators think may have been accidental, a Reston man, 30, shot a cab driver Monday, Jan. 30 in the 2100 block of Whisperwood Glen Lane.
At around 9:50 p.m., the Reston man, a 30-year-old officer with the United States Capitol Police Department, fired his handgun from inside his home and through his front door, hitting the cab driver who was standing outside while dropping off customers in the neighborhood, according to the police report.
“It’s kind of strange,” said Officer Bud Walker, Fairfax County Police spokesman. “The shooter was inside his residence and the cab driver was outside. We don’t think they could even see each other.”
The cab driver, a 51-year-old Woodbridge man, was standing outside near his cab when he was struck in the lower body. He was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Reston man reported the incident to police.
Walker said that police will continue to investigate the shooting to determine if it was accidental. Fairfax County Police and United States Capitol Police Department are cooperating in the investigation.
— Jason Hartke
25 Years for Home Robbery
Colin Brent Allen, 29, was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for a home invasion robbery in Reston last winter.
On Feb. 7, 2005, around 2:30 a.m. a Reston resident answered the door to his home and an armed man forced his way inside, according to police reports. Once inside, Allen, shot a 26-year-old man, causing him permanent injury, according to Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney William Rhyne. Allen then demanded money from a female resident of the apartment but left without taking any, according to police reports.
Allen was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, two counts of attempted robbery, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and statutory burglary. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison, 10 to be suspended.
RCC Public Hearings on Funding, Borders
The Reston Community Center is having two public hearings in February on the center’s funding, programs, borders and fee structure. The first hearing is Saturday, Feb. 11, at 1 p.m., at the RCC at Hunters Woods. The second hearing is Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., at the RCC at Lake Anne. Individual speakers will be allowed two minutes to speak, while speakers representing an organization will be allotted three minutes.
RA Election Deadline Feb. 10
Applications to run for the Reston Association Board of Directors are due Feb. 10. This year, three seats are open, each for a three-year term: two at-large seats and the South Lakes District seat. Each position requires that the applicant be a resident of Reston by the record eligibility date, Jan. 30.
Applications require 25 signatures of members of different households. Applicants running for the South Lakes District seat must obtain signatures from members in the South Lakes District. The deadline has never been extended.
Leighton’s Early Announcement
Reston Association Board Member Joe Leighton, who represents the South Lakes District, will not run for re-election this year. He can’t. He’s term-limited. Leighton, who will have to take a break from the board for at least a year, has already announced that he plans to run for the board again.
“My intent is to sit out a year and run again next year,” said Leighton at last week’s RA meeting.
Conversely, Director Bob Poppe (At-large), who is also term-limited this year, announced that he would never serve on the board again. Poppe said, jokingly, that he’s paid his dues.
GRCC Votes on Principles To Evaluate Rail
The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, representing 900 businesses and their more than 90,000 employees, voted on Friday to approve a set of principles to evaluate Toll Road privatization proposals. The principles are intended to balance the anticipated toll increases against ensuring the Dulles Corridor's long-term success.
The principles include the following:
* Any proposal must ensure the timely completion of both phases of the rail extension, including the Phase II station at Dulles Airport.
* All toll revenues collected on the Toll Road must remain dedicated for the construction, operation and maintenance of transportation facilities in the Corridor, and therefore not be diverted to other non-Corridor programs in Northern Virginia or anywhere else.
* The price of tolls must be set at a reasonable rate, so as not to penalize residents or employees in the Corridor or affect the appeal of the region to future employers and residents.
* Toll increases to further speed construction of Dulles Rail does not supplant the need for additional revenues to fund needed transportation projects elsewhere in the region. "Accelerating the construction of rail to Dulles Airport by leveraging private dollars and tolls is an idea worthy of close examination and support. Regardless of the final solution, however, we need to ensure that all tolls collected in the Corridor remain in the Corridor and are not used as slush funds for non-Corridor projects,” said Mark Looney of Cooley Godward LLP and co-chairman of the chamber's public policy committee.
The Chamber leadership noted that it has been and will continue to be a strong proponent of Rail to Dulles.
Reston Drop-In Center Ribbon Cutting
The Reston Drop-In Center, a place for adults with mental illnesses to come and relax, will have an open house and ribbon cutting on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m.
Located at 1820 Michael Faraday Drive, 201 in Reston, the center opened Jan. 17. It is open Monday-Saturday, from 4-8 p.m., and run by consumers. The facility includes a Ping-Pong table, game room, art room, entertainment room and two computers. To learn more, call 703-437-5105 or 703-437-5349.
RA Tennis Program Wins Award
The Reston Association Tennis Program, led by Mary Conaway, RA’s tennis manager, was recently selected by the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) as the PTR Virginia Member of the Year for 2005. The award was given based on RA’s efforts to increase participation and awareness of the game of tennis and for its ongoing support of the PTR.
The PTR Member Awards will be presented during the annual PTR International Tennis Symposium on Wednesday, Feb. 22 in Hilton Head, S.C. RA’s selection by the PTR will also be recognized in the upcoming issue of TennisPro magazine.
RA has 48 tennis courts, eight of which are clay. RA also serves the tennis community with extensive programs for all ages, from toddlers to senior citizens, and conducts on-site programs for the local schools.
RTC Ice Skating Pavilion Helps Raise Money
The Ice Skating Pavilion at Reston Town Center raised $3,774 for non-profit groups during November and December 2005. During the opening week in November, Reston Character Counts! Coalition raised a total of $2,448 for its cause. Other benefiting groups include Chantilly Chaos Soccer, Crossfield Elementary School, Dogwood Elementary School, Paul VI Dance Team and Challenge Girls Club. Ice Skating at Reston Town Center will be open daily until the beginning of March, and non-profit groups still have time to sign up to take advantage of the Ice Skating fund-raiser opportunities. Call the Ice Skating Pavilion at 703-709-6300.
In addition, Reston Town Center played host to 29 events and fund-raising opportunities for non-profit groups throughout 2005, generating a record-breaking amount of over $2.2 million in funds for charitable causes.
YMCA Summer Camp Registration
The YMCA Fairfax County Reston has started registration for its Summer Camp programs. Camp registration is currently underway and limited space is still available. Various programs are being offered for ages 3 to 15. Programs include: YMCA ... Survive it! Camp, which allows children to work with their peers to complete team challenges; Basketball Camp, at which basketball players can work on the fundamentals of their game by participating in team games, shooting contests and skill development; Outdoor Adventure Camp, which includes traditional activities such as archery, sports, arts & crafts and swimming; and Preschool Camp Fun Shine, designed to give preschool children their first summer camp experience; and Traditional day camp themed sessions full of activities such as swimming, sports, singing, arts & crafts and field trips.
Call the YMCA Fairfax County Reston at 703-742-8800 or go online at www.ymcawashdc.org for more information.
Variety Show to Aid Rwanda
The United Christian Parish of Reston is having a variety show and silent auction on Friday, Feb. 24, to raise money for its mission project in Rwanda. The annual event — this year with a Mardi Gras theme — takes place at the church on 11508 North Shore Drive. The public is invited.
Pizza and soda will be available for sale at 6 p.m. Bidding at the silent auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. The talent show will include singing, dancing, poetry readings and instrumental music, starting at 7 p.m.
The United Christian Parish (UCP) has been working for nine years with a United Methodist Church project in Rwanda to help provide food, shelter and medical care for several hundred children orphaned by war and AIDS.
UCP youth also raises $3,000 each year to support a young Rwandan studying medicine at the university in Kigali.
For more information, see www.unitedchristianparish.org or call the church office at 703-620-3065.
Calendar
Monday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m., Reston Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting at Reston Association Headquarters at Isaac Newton Square.
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m., the Southgate Community Center Advisory Council Meeting at the Reston Community Center.
Thursday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m., The Reston Community Reinvestment Corporation Meeting on Lake Anne Revitalization at the Lake Anne Office Building at 11484 Washington Plaza West in Reston.