Teen Missing
<bt>The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing Sterling teenager.
Kristi Walter, 15, was reported missing from her residence on Glenbrook Terrace on the morning of July 1. She is described as an Hispanic female, 5 feet 3 inches tall, 120 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. Kristi is believed to frequent the Herndon area.
If you have any information as to Kristi’s whereabouts you are asked to immediately contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Loudoun County Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.
<sh>Man Heading for NY
<bt>The Sheriff’s Office has learned that a missing 25-year-old Ontario man has left the area and is believed to be headed for New York.
The man, Abdullah Salah, walked away from a home in the 20500 block of Gleedsville Road around 8:30 p.m., Sunday night after making statements he was going to harm himself. Sheriff’s investigators learned today that Salah boarded a plane at Dulles International Airport and is headed to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. The Loudoun Sheriff’s Office is working with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to locate the man.
Sunday night deputies conducted a ground and aerial search after receiving a report from a family member of the missing man. The Sheriff’s Office found a possible witness who may have observed the missing man walking northbound on Route 15. The witness said he was driving in the area around 10:30 p.m. when he saw a man of a similar description walking toward Leesburg.
<sh>Smoke Testing Sewer Lines
<bt>From 8 a.m.-5 p.m., July 10-13, Sterling residents may see smoke escaping from the ground. Sewer lines in some of Sterling's neighborhoods will be smoke tested for leaks, faulty seals, root penetration and poor house connections. Safe, nontoxic smoke that dissipates quickly will be used to determine where water seeps into the sewer lines. The results of these tests will help Loudoun County Sanitation Authority plan ways to correct any problems that are found. The smoke used creates no fire or health hazard and will not harm people, pets, plants or property. Persons with severe asthma, however, may want to leave the premises during these tests. Residents who are home during these tests will see LCSA trucks and work crews in their neighborhood and they will hear the chug of the smoke blower sending smoke through the sewer lines. Smoke may escape from the drains in a home, curb inlets or the ground itself. LCSA staff will walk the streets and yards between homes looking for escaping smoke. During the test, it is normal to see smoke escape from the vent pipe on a roof. If the plumbing in a home is in proper condition, the smoke will not escape into the house. Door hangers have been distributed to homes within the testing area. LCSA will post updates of areas to be tested at its Web site, www.lcsa.org. Streets to be tested this week include: Elizabeth Street, Jonathan Street, East Beech Road, Cindy Court, Gary Court, Muirfield Drive, Norwood Place, Amin Court and Stonebrook Court.
<sh>Transporation Public Hearing
<bt>The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority has posted the agenda, proposed resolutions and related meeting materials for the July 12 public hearing to its new Web site, www.TheNoVaAuthority.org, to consider enacting the seven taxes and fees authorized by the General Assembly in HB 3202, as well as an initial set of projects and an associated bond issue. The Authority may act on each of these issues following the public hearing.
The hearing will be held at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, 7130 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, 6 p.m. Any member of the public may sign up to speak until 8 p.m. Individuals will have a time limit of three minutes to speak; organizations will have five minutes. Speakers will be heard on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition, the Authority will continue to accept written and e-mailed comments up to 5 p.m., July 11. Public comments can be mailed to The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, c/o NVRC, 3060 Williams Drive, Suite 510, Fairfax, VA 22031 or by e-mail to TheAuthority@TheNoVaAuthority.org.
<sh>Checkpoint Results
<bt>Members of the Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Unit conducted a DUI checkpoint Saturday, June 30, at South Lincoln Avenue and Jefferson Court in Sterling.
The checkpoint started at 11 p.m. and was completed at 2:25 a.m. During this time 136 cars passed through the checkpoint with eight drivers further screened for possible impairment. One driver was arrested for driving under the influence. Three drivers were cited for no valid operator’s license. One driver was cited for a child-seat violation and one subject was cited for a seatbelt violation.
<sh>New Homes Found
<bt>Four dogs, 27 cats, one guinea pig, one bird, one rabbit, and two goats found new homes during the Loudoun County Animal Shelter’s 40-Hour Adopt-a-thon June 29-30.
The Animal Shelter was open for 40 consecutive hours, from 8 a.m., Friday through 11:59 p.m., Saturday night, in hopes of finding homes for all the animals available for adoption.
In addition to meeting animals available for adoption, visitors enjoyed free food, drink, and many other goodies. Friday night’s crowd saw the first ever "Shelter Cinema," a free outdoor movie on the front lawn of the shelter.
The Loudoun County Animal Shelter has extended adoption hours through Labor Day. Hours and directions to the Animal Shelter, as well as pets available for adoption, can be found online at www.loudoun.gov/animals.
The Loudoun County Animal Shelter is located at 39820 Charles Town Pike in Waterford, 10 minutes from Leesburg.
<sh>Program Honored
<bt>Loudoun County's telework program has received a 2007 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties. This is the second national award for the program in as many months. In June, the county received a Tele-Vision
Award from the national Telework Exchange.
The Loudoun County Telework Program gives all county employees, including part-time, full-time and temporary workers, the option to telework. The National Association of Counties Achievement Awards recognize unique, innovative county programs in the United States in an effort to promote high-quality, efficient, responsible and responsive county
government management and administration.
<sh>Library System Selected
<bt>Loudoun County Public Library has been selected as one of the 25 libraries in the country to be featured in the fifth edition of "Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults," edited by Amy Alessio, to be published in summer 2008. The library received this honor for it "After Hours Teen Center," Young Adult programming, age specific materials and collection and volunteer opportunities that encompass it's outreach to teens titled: " Hanging Out Rocks."
Applications were judged on: the degree to which the program or service met the needs of its community, particularly the young adult audience it served; originality; the degree to which the program or service reflected the concepts identified in "New Directions for Library Service to Young Adults;" the degree to which it impacted and improved service to young adults; and quality.
<sh>Transit Program Recognized
<bt>Loudoun County Transit's marketing campaign "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Museums, Monuments and Memories," to promote a special holiday bus service was recognized by the Virginia Transit Association with an Honorable Mention 2007 Outstanding Public Transportation Marketing Award. By implementing the special mid-morning holiday bus run, LC Transit adapted its service schedule to meet special customer needs, schedules and interests over the holidays and also increased awareness of the service.