<sh>Juvenile Charged: Setting Fires
<bt>Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department investigators charged a juvenile last Tuesday, Dec. 2, with 11 counts of setting a fire capable of spreading. The arrest is in connection with several dumpster and trash-receptacle fires that occurred between July 1-Dec. 1 near the Franklin Farms Shopping Center.
No one was injured, but fire officials say the 11 fires caused damages totaling approximately $8,000. The juvenile, 15, has a Dec. 17 court date. Each count is punishable by as much as five years in prison.
<sh>Forgery, Embezzlement Charges Going to Grand Jury
<bt>The criminal case against a 23-year-old Centreville woman suspected of embezzling from her employer is heading for the grand jury. The woman is Wendy Rae Hunt of 14223 St. Germain Drive, No. 104.
Employed by Creative World Learning Center in Annandale since August, she was in charge of making deposits. However, according to Fairfax County police, an investigation revealed that Hunt was allegedly not putting certain cash and check deposits into the business' bank account. Police also allege that she reportedly forged some company checks, made them payable to herself — allegedly forging the signature of the company director — and then cashed them.
Police arrested Hunt on Oct. 10, charging her with embezzlement plus four counts of forgery. Monday, Dec. 8, in General District Court, two of the forgery charges were dropped, but Judge Lorraine Nordlund certified everything else to the next grand jury for possible indictment.
<sh>Toy-Gun Robbery Also Sent to Grand Jury
<bt>The gun he carried may have been a toy, say Fairfax County police, but his intentions were deadly serious. As a result, they charged Andrew Woods, 18, of Falls Church, with robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Police contend that, on Oct. 18 around 1 a.m., Woods entered the back door of the Centre Ridge restaurant, Sweetwater Tavern, produced a weapon and allegedly demanded money from the employees. But when the manager realized that the weapon was actually a BB gun, he and other employees grabbed the intruder and held him until police arrived.
Woods appeared Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 9, in General District Court before Judge Richard Horan. At that time, the use-of-a-firearm charge was dropped, but the judge sent the robbery charge to the grand jury.
<sh>Alcohol Sting Gets Results
<bt>The Traffic Safety Services Unit, along with the Fair Oaks District Neighborhood Patrol Unit, conducted an alcohol sting at 21 locations within the Fair Oaks District on Friday, Dec. 5. The sting is part of the Youth Alcohol Campaign and was conducted using plain-clothed, under-age, Fairfax County police cadets, who tried to purchase alcoholic beverages.
The following locations improperly sold alcoholic beverages to them:
K-mart, 13910 Metrotech Drive, Chantilly; Food Lion, 11181 Lee Highway, Fairfax; and Safeway, 12200 West Ox Road, Fairfax. Some 17 other locations did not sell alcoholic beverages to the cadets. Four arrests were made in the four establishments where alcohol was sold to them.
<sh>Air and Space Museum Opens
<bt>The National Air and Space Museum Annex will officially open to the public on Monday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The date commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first powered flights by the Wright Brothers. Then on Saturday, Dec. 20, the annex will host its first Family Day, including curator talks, kite-flying demonstrations and special storytime activities for children.
Called the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the $311 million facility houses the historically significant aircraft that are too large to fit into the Smithsonian's museum in Washington, D.C. To reach it, take the new Air and Space Museum Parkway exit off Route 28 in Chantilly. Admission is free, but daily parking costs $12/vehicle; yearly passes for unlimited parking are available for $50.
<sh>Koch Addresses Sully Council
<bt>Sully District Planning Commissioner Ron Koch will address the next meeting of the Sully District Council of Citizens Associations. It will be held on the third Wednesday, this month, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., in Chantilly. Call Mark McConn at 703-818-9124. Koch will discuss land-use planning and development in the Sully District.
<sh>Blood Urgently Needed
<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 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 Helps Needy Families
<bt>Groups or individuals wanting to adopt a family to help at Christmas should call Western Fairfax Christian Ministries' (WFCM) business office at 703-988-9656. In addition, donations to WFCM may be made by designating No. 8234 in the United Way Combined Federal Campaign.