<sh>McLean Pair Arrested
<bt>Detectives with the Arlington County Police Department's new Follow-Up Unit arrested a man and woman as the result of a months-long investigation into a string of thefts from vehicles in North Arlington. Blake Martin Williams, 20, and Shannon Montville, 19, both of McLean, have each been charged with one count of possession of cocaine and one count of grand larceny.
According to Arlington County police, Williams and Montville are suspects in more than 100 thefts from vehicles in Arlington, and additional criminal charges are pending. They were arrested early the morning of June 30 by Follow-Up Unit detectives and members of the Department's Tactical Unit. The Tactical Unit specializes in plain-clothes surveillance and anti-street crime efforts.
Since March, residents in several North Arlington neighborhoods have reported more than 100 car break-ins with similar characteristics. In most cases, the suspects entered vehicles and removed change or cash. In some instances, they took items such as briefcases, backpacks or laptop computers. More than 75 percent of the thefts were from cars left unlocked by the owners.
<sh>Susan Torres Fundraiser
<bt>Friends and family of Susan Torres — the 26-year-old currently hospitalized and in her 22nd week of pregnancy — will join area Knights of Columbus volunteers in holding a bake sale to help defray medical costs. The event will be held at St. Philip’s Parish, 7500 St. Philip’s Ct., Falls Church, following the 10 and 11:30 a.m. masses on Sunday, July 17. While 17 weeks pregnant, Susan Torres suffered a massive brain hemorrhage brought on by undiagnosed melanoma. Although doctors have given her no hope of survival, they are fighting to keep her unborn child alive. Friends of the Torres family have established the Susan M. Torres Fund to help defray the enormous medical bills that this family faces.
Those wishing to help with the bake sale at St. Philip’s or host a fundraiser at a different location are asked to contact Yvette Purtill at ypurtill@hotmail.com or 703-641-8948. Tax-deductible contributions to the fund can be made directly at:
The Susan M. Torres Fund
c/o Faith and Action
P.O. Box 34105
Washington, D.C. 20043-0105
or
www.susantorresfund.org.
<sh>Employer Awards
<bt>Arlington County received one of five 2005 Commuter Connections Employer Recognition Awards on June 29. The awards are granted for promoting commuting practices that reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. They are sponsored by Commuter Connections and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Other winners were American University, Chevy Chase Bank, the National Wildlife Federation and the District Department of Transportation.
Arlington's CommuterDirect.com Corporate Services (CDCS), an online transit benefit administration program for employers, won the Commuter Connections Employer Services Organization Achievement Award. CDCS was recognized as the only service in the region — and one of a few in the nation — that sells passes for every transit provider within its region. As of May 2005, CDCS has 80 active corporate accounts serving 1,130 employees, generating $3 million worth of sales annually for the organization.
<sh>Arlington Wins 'Green' Award
<bt>Arlington has been chosen by the Virginia Sustainable Building Network (VSBN) for the 2005 Virginia Green Innovation Award for the Most Sustainable Community Program. Arlington was selected because of its overall vision of sustainability and unique sustainable community programs, including green buildings, WalkArlington, Arlington transit programs, progressive land use planning, watershed protection and alternative-fueled vehicle fleet, among others.
Arlington is home to the Langston-Brown School and Community Center, the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Certified green building in Virginia. Arlington also offers incentives to private developers for building high-performance "green" buildings.
<sh>Alternatives to Washington-Lee Stadium Track
<bt>Although the Washington-Lee High School stadium track will be closed from July 11 through Oct. 15 while a new synthetic turf is installed on the stadium field, Arlington Public Schools and County officials would like to remind residents about the many other options available to Arlington residents.
In addition to those listed below, information about "Walk Arlington" walkabouts and guided walking tours in Arlington, including printable maps, is available at www.walkarlington.com/go.
Alternatives include: Dawson Terrace Community Center and park grounds outdoor trail, 2133 N. Taft St.; Donaldson Run Park outdoor trail, N. 30th Street and N. Military Road; Edison Park outdoor trail, N. 2nd Street and N. Edison Street; Fort Bennett Park and Palisades Trail, 2220 N. Scott St.; Fort C. F. Smith Park outdoor trail, 2411 N. 24th St.; Fort Ethan Allen Park outdoor trail, 3829 N. Stafford St.; Fort Scott Park outdoor trail, 2800 Fort Scott Drive; Glencarlyn Park outdoor trail, 301 S. Harrison St.; Greenbrier Park/Yorktown High School outdoor running track, 5201 N. 28th St. (open until early November); Gulf Branch Nature Center and park grounds outdoor trail, 3608 N. Military Road; James W. Haley Park outdoor trail, 2400 S. Meade St.; Lee Heights Park outdoor trail, 2400 N. Taylor St.; Long Branch Nature Center and park grounds outdoor trail, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road.; Lubber Run Park outdoor trail, N. Columbus and N. 2nd streets; Madison Manor Park outdoor trail, 6225 N. 12th Road; Monroe Park outdoor trail, 14th and S. Monroe streets; Rock Spring Park outdoor trail, 5000 Little Falls Road; Thrifton Hills Park outdoor trail, 2814 N. 23rd St.; Tuckahoe Park outdoor trail, 2400 N. Sycamore St.; Tyrol Hill Park outdoor trail, 5101 S. 7th Road; Windy Run Park outdoor trail, 2420 N. Kenmore St.; Woodlawn Park outdoor trail, 1325 Buchanan St.; Zachary Taylor Park outdoor trail, 2900 Military Road.
Hours for all of the above are sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Also available is Wakefield High School outdoor running track, 4901 S. Chesterfield Road, which is open from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. in July and August and from 7 a.m.–11 p.m. September through June, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Community Center indoor track and outdoor trail, 125 S. Old Glebe Road. The indoor track is open Monday through Friday from 6:25 a.m.-9:50 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m.-5:50 p.m. (September until June), and Sunday from 1 p.m.-5:50 p.m. (in January, February, and March). The outdoor trail is open from sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
<sh>'Renewal & Remembrance'
<bt>July 18 will be a day for "Renewal & Remembrance at the Arlington National Cemetery." Hundreds of landscape, lawn care and tree care companies from across the nation will bring their crews to Arlington National Cemetery to spend the day mulching, pruning, planting and aerating throughout the entire cemetery. The gift is valued at more than $150,000 in services and work. The day will begin with a ceremony featuring a joint color guard and speaker presentations to dedicate the day of work to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Among those participating will be Pleasant Valley Landscapes Inc., a member of the Professional Lawn Care Network (PLANET). On July 19, PLANET members will visit their congressional leaders on Capitol Hill and speak with them about issues facing the green industry.
<sh>Life Skills Workshops for 9/11 Survivors
<bt>A new series of free workshops and support groups is being offered by Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) to help individuals directly affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon address their continuing recovery needs.
The series of workshops and support groups will focus on children and youth who lost a parent or caregiver; families and caregivers of the physically and emotionally injured; and the emotionally injured Pentagon evacuees. The program will also provide outreach and group services to those who were deployed to the disaster site for rescue and recovery work.
The initial two workshops will address issues of money management. The first workshop, "Personal Budget Management," is designed for adult survivors, first responders and evacuees of the Pentagon attack. It will take place Saturday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at NVFS’s office in Oakton, 10455 White Granite Drive, Suite 100. Highlights of the program include learning or reviewing how to create a budget plan, taking steps to become and remain financially organized and more.
The second workshop, "Managing My Money," is the first in the Getting Real series for young adults 17 and older whose families were directly affected by the attack. It will be held Saturday, Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon at the same location. It will help young adults set specific financial goals, create a budget, save money, plan for the future and more. For more information or to register, call 703-219-3920.