Clarification
<bt>The use of South Riding in the story "Running in the Streets," Loudoun Connection, Oct. 18-24, 2006, was not meant to refer to the planned community of South Riding as the site of the Stone Ridge 5K race, but instead the portion of the county where the five benefiting schools are located.
<sh>Extended Hours
<bt>The Loudoun County Voter Registration Office is offering expanded hours for absentee voting at its Leesburg office, 26-C Fairfax St., S.E., in the Virginia Village Shopping Center. The office will be open weekdays through Nov. 3, from 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 4, from 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Absentee voting is also being offered at the Senior Center in Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, weekdays through Nov. 3, from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 4, is the last day to vote an absentee ballot in person for the upcoming election.
Call the Office of the General Registrar at 703-777-0380. More information about voting and the election Nov. 7, is available on the Loudoun County Web site at www.loudoun.gov/government/election.htm.
<sh>New Parks Opening
<bt>The Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board will hold ribbon cutting ceremonies for two new county parks, Saturday, Nov. 4.
The first ceremony takes place at the Lansdowne Sports Park, at 18900 Kipheart Drive in the Lansdowne community, at 11 a.m. The 15-acre park consists of two soccer fields, one softball field, one basketball court, two picnic pavilion shelters, an enclosed rest room facility, two parking lots and a tot lot. The ribbon cutting for Beth Miller Park, at 20270 Leier Place in Ashburn (Belmont Greene), takes place at 12:30 p.m. The 9.22-acre property, located adjacent to Trailside Park and the WO&D Trail, consists of a passive park area, two large play fields, benches, a gazebo, walking paths, and a pond with wetlands.
In case of inclement weather, call 703-777-0456 after 9 a.m. If there is no recorded message regarding cancellation of the ceremonies, they will proceed according to schedule.
<sh>Teen Injured
<bt>A Leesburg teenager remains hospitalized after he fell off the rear of a car Saturday, Oct. 28.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the 15-year-old was injured when according to witnesses around 11 p.m. he jumped onto the trunk of a 1996 Nissan Maxima in the 43030 block of Lake Ridge Place of Leesburg. The teen apparently lost his grip as the car drove away. He fell to the ground striking his head.
According to the Sheriff's Office, it did not appear the driver of the Nissan, a 17-year-old Leesburg male, was aware the victim had jumped onto his car as he pulled away. The victim was airlifted to Inova Fairfax Hospital where he was hospitalized in stable condition.
<sh>Truck Overturns
<bt>Around 6:21 a.m., Friday, Oct. 27, Loudoun County received a 911 call for a hazardous materials incident involving a propane truck that had overturned in the 23500 block of Evergreen Mills Road near Arcola.
Fire and Rescue crews found a truck carrying 3,300 pounds of propane had overturned but was not leaking.
Representatives from Southern States were called to the scene to off load the propane to another truck. With the propane transferred to another truck, the vehicle was up righted shortly after 4 p.m. so that it could be towed.
The driver of the truck was transported to Lansdowne for checkout. The incident is under investigation by the Virginia State Police.
<sh>Salvage Education Program
<bt>The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will be initiating an education program designed to inform any business dealing with the salvage of copper, aluminum and other metals about the commerce and trade regulations pertaining to the purchase of these items.
The program is being implemented as the result of the recent increase in crime associated with these metals. The price of copper has doubled in the past year and the number of larcenies of this metal in Loudoun is four times the number it was in 2005. So far this year the Sheriff's Office has investigated 35 copper larcenies with an estimated $75,000 worth of the metal stolen. A majority of the larcenies are from construction sites throughout the county.
The program is designed to educate the business owner in the requirements to document these transactions as well as the identity of the seller. It is believed that this program will enhance the ability of law enforcement to investigate these types of crime through the use of the records obtained by the business owners.
Business owners are encouraged to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at 703-737-8758.