<sh>CAT Team Operation Results
<bt>The Fairfax County Christmas Anti-Theft (CAT) Teams arrested 285 people this holiday season and recovered more than $232,000 worth of property. CAT Teams work in and around major shopping areas in the county to identify and arrest amateur and professional shoplifters.
Local businesses can experience great loss due to property crimes. And often, property crimes may be linked to identity theft and credit card fraud, which have a devastating effect on individuals and their personal finances.
This year the CAT teams in McLean, Franconia and Fair Oaks districts were once again successful in stifling property crimes in the Tysons Corner Mall, Springfield Mall and Fair Oaks Mall areas. The teams were in place from Nov. 22 through Dec. 31.
Fair Oaks District Station results:
Total Number of Vehicles Seized: 3
Total Number of Felonies: 44
Total Number of Misdemeanors: 52
Total Number of Criminal Charges: 96
Total Number of Individuals Arrested: 55
Value of Stolen Merchandise Recovered: $9,073
Value of Seized Vehicles: $70,390
U.S Currency Seized: $1,582
Total Amount of Property Seized or Recovered: $81,045
<sh>Republican Women of Clifton
<bt>The Republican Women of Clifton (RWC) invites all Republican women in Clifton, Centreville, Fairfax Station, Burke and surrounding areas to attend its February meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the new meeting location, Clifton Elementary School. The meeting will take place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Bring canned goods to donate to the interdenominational homelessness prevention group, Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM). The RWC's mission is to foster the ideas of the Republican Party and support its candidates toward elected office, as well as to be involved in a variety of charitable causes. The RWC meets on the third Mondays at Clifton Elementary School. The February meeting is moved to the third Tuesday due to President's Day.
<sh>Caputo offers amendment to protect the general fund
<bt>Del. Chuck Caputo (D-67) last week offered an amendment to the transportation plan on the House floor to protect funds typically reserved for education and public safety.
"It's wrong to suggest that we must take $250 million from our children's schools to pave our roads," said Caputo.
"My colleagues across the aisle have introduced a bill, HB 3202, that has put transportation at the forefront of debate here in the General Assembly. I put together a plan that works with their bill, and would secure over $400 million for Northern Virginia, protect education and public safety funding from raids, and doesn't raise a single new tax," said Caputo.
<sh>House of Delegates Extends Sunset on Hybrids
<bt>This week House Bill 2132, sponsored by Del. Tim Hugo, overwhelmingly passed the House of Delegates, and now awaits Senate approval. HB 2132 directs the Virginia Department of Transportation to extend its sunset for the use of certain HOV lanes by vehicles bearing “clean special fuel vehicle” license plates. The bill allows all owners of hybrids to continue to use I-66, as well as owners who purchased hybrids prior to July 1, 2006 to use I-395 during HOV restricted times.
<sh>Westfield Community Coalition
<bt>The Westfield Community Coalition will meet Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m., at the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. Call Nancy Bennett at 703-266-2370.
<sh>Sully District CAC Meeting
<bt>The Sully District Citizens' Advisory Committee will meet Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. Guest speaker will be retired police officer Tom Polhemus, who works in the Fairfax County Police Department's financial crimes unit. He'll talk about Internet fraud. Anyone who lives or works in the Sully Police District is encouraged to attend.
<sh>Free Carseat Inspections
<bt>Certified technicians from the Sully District Police Station will perform free, child safety carseat inspections, Thursday, Feb. 22, and Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 5-8:30 p.m. each day, at the station, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. They’ll make sure the carseat is correct for the child’s age, height and weight, the child is securely placed in the seat, and the seat is properly installed in the vehicle.
No appointment is necessary. But residents should install the child safety seats themselves, so the technicians may properly inspect and make adjustments, as necessary. Call the Sully District Child Seat Information line (703-814-7000, ext. 5140) to confirm dates and times.
For additional child seat inspection times throughout Fairfax County, call the Fairfax County Operations Support Bureau at 703-280-0559. National Child Passenger Safety week is Feb. 11-17. For more information, see www.BoosterSeat.gov, www.SaferCar.gov and www.SeatCheck.org.
<sh>Korean American Day Set
<bt>The Virginia House of Delegates last week passed a resolution patroned by Del. Tim Hugo (R-40th), designating Jan. 13 this year and each succeeding year as Korean American Day.
Said Hugo: “The Korean Americans deserve this recognition, as they have made our community a better place to live and raise a family.”
<sh>Blood Donations are Sought
<bt>The Inova Blood Donor Center in the Centremed I Building on Route 29 in Centreville (across from the Centreville Multiplex Cinemas) is in urgent need of blood donations — especially O positive or negative, as well as A and B. They're accepted Tuesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For an appointment to give blood, call 703-322-1970, or drop in at your own convenience.
<sh>Role Models for Children
<bt>Volunteers are needed throughout Northern Virginia to be positive role models for children who currently have an incarcerated parent. Mentors meet with children two hours per week. Weekly meetings are supplemented by monthly group recreational activities. The only qualification required is a desire to help a child in need.
To sign up for the mentor training session at the Center for Multicultural Human Services in Falls Church, call Ellen Klene, Volunteer Program manager, at 703-533-3302, ext. 107, or see www.cmhs.org.
<sh>Meals on Wheels Needs Drivers
<bt>The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging "Meals on Wheels" program is in immediate need of drivers to deliver meals, Monday through Friday, to senior adults living in Fairfax County. Volunteers who speak Vietnamese are also needed.
The job involves picking up meals at specified sites between 10:30 a.m.-noon and delivering them to seniors by 1 p.m. Drivers may choose to deliver meals on a daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly or substitute basis. Call the Fairfax AAA Volunteer Intake Line at 703-324-5406 or e-mail melanie.mitchell@fairfaxcounty.gov.