<sh>Chantilly Student Arrested
<lst>Fairfax County police arrested a Chantilly High student Monday after a fight on school grounds. He is Michael C. Gill, 18, of 3819 Beech Down Drive in Chantilly's Armfield Farms community.
Police say school resource officer James Berling investigated a report of a fight in progress in front of the school cafeteria, around 9:30 a.m., and allegedly saw Gill assaulting another student. According to police, Gill reportedly refused to stop upon command and pepper spray had to be used to aid in his arrest.
County Fire and Rescue personnel treated Gill for a swollen right hand and the victim for non-life-threatening injuries. Police charged Gill with simple assault and took him to the Adult Detention Center. He was released on $2,500 bond and has an April 1 court date.
<sh>SW County Middle School PTA Meeting
<lst>An organizational meeting for the new PTA at the southwest county middle school will be held Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m. in the Union Mill Elementary cafeteria. Information will be presented, and principal Audra Sydnor will be on hand to meet the parents. The initial focus will be on getting volunteers, committee chairmen and candidates to run for positions on the PTA executive board. Call Jill Mullins at 703-266-4660.
<sh>Baseball Meeting Slated
<lst>The Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority will meet Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m. in Supervisor Michael R. Frey's (R-Sully) conference room. It's in the Fort Hill Building at 5900 Centreville Road in Centreville. The public is welcome to attend and comment.
<sh>Free Cab Rides
<lst>Free cab rides throughout Northern Virginia are being offered on St. Patrick's Day to celebrators who would rather not drive home. Offered by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, WRAP, the SoberRide program will begin Saturday, March 16, at 4 p.m. and run through Monday, March 18, at 4 a.m.
Area residents celebrating with alcohol may call 1-800-200-TAXI and be offered a no-cost (up to $50) fare for a safe way home. AT&T Wireless users may call #-TAXI for the same service.
<sh>Westfield Community Coalition
<lst>The Westfield Community Coalition will meet Monday, March 18, from 7-9 p.m. at Westfield High. Kevin Angelo, of the Fairfax County Safe and Drug-Free Youth Section, will present a program on drug paraphernalia and terms parents need to know to become more aware of the local drug culture. And Fairfax attorney Charles E. Collins will discuss the legal consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.
In addition, substance abuse, its prevention and the results of a survey of 14,000 teens in Fairfax County schools will be discussed with professionals. The program is free and open to all adults. Babysitting and refreshments will be provided. A separate, age-appropriate program will be held for school-age children. Call Jennifer Campbell at 703-266-1742.
<sh>Tri-County Parkway
<lst>The public is invited to attend a meeting Tuesday, March 19, at Westfield High concerning the location of the future Tri-County Parkway (also known as the Tri-County Connector). Representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be on hand from 5-8 p.m. to provide information and answer questions; they will also make a brief presentation at 6 p.m.
VDOT seeks information from the public to help it determine the exact location of the new parkway. It's planned as a new north/south transportation link in Northern Virginia to connect the City of Manassas with I-66 and the Dulles Technology Corridor. The proposed study area extends from Route 234 in Prince William County, through Fairfax County and north to Braddock Road in Loudoun County. Anyone requiring special assistance to attend and participate in the meeting may call 703-383-VDOT or toll free, 1-888-383-VDOT.
<sh>965 Drivers Ticketed
<lst>Police officers from the Fair Oaks District Station were among those participating Jan. 26-Feb. 8, from 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m., in increased traffic enforcement on the Fairfax County Parkway. During that time, police stopped 1,099 motorists for various violations.
They then issued 965 summonses and 198 warning tickets. The top locations where violations were committed were at the parkway's intersections with Braddock, Franklin Farm and Hooes roads, and at the intersection of the parkway and Route 29.
<sh>UOSA Gets an OK
<lst>The Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority (UOSA) got an OK last week from the Fairfax County Planning Commission to expand its Centreville pumping station. The facility brings wastewater from western Fairfax County to UOSA's plant on Compton Road. The expansion will increase the pumping capacity from 9 million to 18 million gallons per day.
Known as UOSA's Cub Run pumping station, it's located where the bridge is over I-66, and the proposed expansion would be an infill between two existing buildings. UOSA needs to obtain Fairfax County's approval for a special-exception permit to use the expanded pumping station and also for some limited filling within the flood plain.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposal, last Thursday, March 7, and the matter now goes before the county Board of Supervisors next Monday, March 18.
<sh>Correction
<lst>In the March 7 Centre View, the Stone Middle School students in the Cat-in-the-Hat photo with head librarian Jim Hensley are in teacher Mary King's English class.
<sh>Food Pantry Needs
<lst>The Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) food pantry is in need of several items. They are: Jelly, coffee, tea, juice boxes, syrup, oil, sugar, cereal, crackers, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning products and diapers larger than infant and newborn.
The food pantry also needs volunteers, Thursdays, from noon-2 p.m. Needed, as well, are: Volunteers with trucks to help move heavy items, a volunteer handy-person good with phones, copy machines, faxes and thermostats, a volunteer to wash the Shepherd Center glass front entrance, artwork suitable for display in pantry waiting area, a vacuum, newer-model frost-free refrigerators and a laptop computer.
<sh>Blood Still Needed
<lst>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. They are accepted Tuesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. To make an appointment to give blood, call (703) 322-1970, or just drop in at your own convenience.
<sh>WFCM Needs Drivers
<lst>The Western Fairfax Christian Ministries is in need of drivers to take elderly people to medical appointments. Call (703) 378-3045 and press 7 to volunteer for this or any other WFCM ministry.
<sh>Meals on Wheels
<lst>The Clifton Meals on Wheels program urgently needs a volunteer to coordinate the delivery of meals to frail, elderly residents. Call the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging at (703) 324-5406.