Missing Gun
<bt>The Virginia State Police along with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office are conducting an investigation into several larcenies from five vehicles, including a State Police vehicle.
This occurred between 9 p.m., Friday, April 15 and 11 a.m., Saturday, April 16. The vehicles were parked on Bold Forbes Court, Cross Timber Drive and Weatherwood Drive in Ashburn.
A semi-automatic handgun and bulletproof vest were taken from the trunk of the state police vehicle. This vehicle is unmarked and assigned to a special agent in the Northern
Virginia Area.
Anyone with information about this crime and identity of the suspects are asked to call State Police Special Agent D. A. Crane at 703-323-4542 or to remain anonymous contact the Loudoun County Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919 or
1-877-777-1931.
<sh>Kaine Visits Leesburg
<bt> Lt. Governor Tim Kaine will hold a town hall meeting in Leesburg, Saturday, May 7, to discuss his proposal for homeowner tax relief with voters. The meeting is open to the public and will include an opportunity for attendees to give feedback and ask Kaine questions about his proposal.
The Leesburg town hall meeting, to be held at the Thomas Balch Library, 208 West Market St., will start at 9:15 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
<sh>Constituents Chat
<bt>Frank Sadler, the regional representative for U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), will be available to talk to constituents, May 12, from 1-2:30 p.m., at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., Leesburg. For more information, call Sadler, 703-966-6036.
<sh>Deadline Approaching
<bt>The deadline to register to vote in the June 14 primary elections is 5 p.m., Monday, May 16. Residents must be registered in the precinct in which they live in order to be qualified to vote. The voter registration office, 26-C Fairfax St., S.E, Leesburg, is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Democratic primary features candidates for lieutenant governor while the Republican primary has candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and features Joe May and Chris Oprison facing off for the 33rd District nomination, and Chris Craddock and Gary Reese seeking the 67th District nod. For more details about the primary, including polling locations, or about voter registration, visit www.loudoun.gov/government/primary.htm or call 703-777-0380.
<sh>Flood Risk Study Meeting
<bt>Residents of Broad Run Farms and other interested citizens are encouraged to attend a public information meeting beginning at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 19, at the Cascades Senior Center, 21060 Whitfield Place in Sterling.
Representatives of Loudoun County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will make a presentation concerning an upcoming study to asses the flood risk and investigate emergency access issues for the Broad Run Farms area. They will explain the purpose of the study and will also be available to answer questions.
The Broad Run Farms area is served by one road, Youngs Cliff Road, which is low lying and subject to periodic flooding from the Potomac River. When the road is flooded, several dozen homes are isolated from emergency services.
For more information about the meeting or the study, contact Tom Trask in the Loudoun County Department of General Services at 703-737-8441 or ttrask@loudoun.gov.
<sh>Disabilities Survey Underway
<bt>The Loudoun County Disability Services Board (DSB) is conducting its mandated triennial survey of service needs for persons with physical and sensory disabilities. The survey is on the Loudoun County Government Web site at www.loudoun.gov/services/dsb/survey.
The information is used by the DSB to develop a Needs Assessment Report, which is provided to state and local officials, including the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, to help determine priorities and funding levels for programs designed to assist people coping with physical and/or sensory disabilities. The information is also used in writing
applications to receive grant monies.
Those who might not consider themselves disabled are also encouraged to participate in the survey, such as those who have developed mobility, hearing or vision losses as a result of aging, are considered disabled by the state of
Virginia for the purposes of this survey.
The survey can be filled out by a friend or relative of the disabled person and it is also available in alternative formats, which can be requested through e-mail at dsb@loudoun.gov or by calling Flor de Maria Gibson of the Department of Social Services at 703-737-8755.
The deadline for submitting a survey to be included in the next Needs Assessment Report is Sept. 30. However, the Web-based survey will stay active beyond that date so that changes in needs can be tracked on a regular basis.
This survey is for individuals. A separate survey aimed at agencies that serve the disabled is expected to begin in the next few weeks.
<sh>Legislators Graded
<bt>Loudoun County delegates Joe May (R-33) and Tom Rust (R-86) were named to the Virginia21 "Dean's List" April 28 for supporting higher education issues in the General Assembly.
The lawmakers earned a grade point average of 4.0 or above on Virginia21's 2005 legislative report cards. Virginia21 is a non-partisan organization that supports higher education and young voter issues in Virginia.
The delegates received top marks because they supported affordable tuition, student financial aid, campus security and an effort to curb the high cost of textbooks.
Del. Richard Black (R-32), earned a GPA of .9, Del. Bob Marshall (R-13) earned a 1.3, and Del. Gary Reese (R-67) earned a 2.9. To see the entire list, go to www.virginia21.org.
<sh>Man Attacked
<bt>A Herndon man says he was robbed of his casino winnings after his car was rear-ended early Monday morning.
The 56-year-old victim told authorities he was returning from the casino in Charles Town, W.Va., when shortly after 4 a.m., May 2, a blue Cadillac rear-ended his car on eastbound Route 7 at Ashburn Road. According to the victim both cars then pulled onto the shoulder of the roadway. At that time the victims says he and the driver of the suspect vehicle were
inspecting the damage when the man allegedly assaulted him. The suspect then removed cash and a wallet from the victim's pockets.
The suspect is described as a black male, 6 feet 3 inches tall and was wearing a light blue jacket with a white and blue-stripped shirt underneath. He was also wearing blue jeans at the time of the incident.
A passerby would later see the victim in obvious pain and stopped to help. The victim declined medical treatment at the scene but later decide to go to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Investigator K. Fognano of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact Loudoun County Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information leads to an arrest and indictment the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
<sh>Commercial Property Inspections
<bt>The Loudoun County Division of Zoning will soon begin proactive enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance in the Arcola/Route 50 area.
At the direction of the Board of Supervisors, zoning officials began sending letters the week of April 30 to all property owners in the area along both sides of Route 50 from the Fairfax County line to just past Route 659 (Gum Spring Road), including the Arcola area, notifying owners that inspections will be conducted to ensure that property being used for commercial and industrial uses has been legally established and approved through the Department of Building and Development administrative process.
Zoning officials have conducted a preliminary analysis of the
approximately 216 parcels in the target area. They found that some of the parcels where commercial uses have been established may not have the appropriate administrative approvals and may violate the Zoning Ordinance, the Uniform Statewide Building Code and other county ordinances. Potential violations include failure to install required buffers and screening, failure to have adequate sanitation and failure to have a commercial entrance permit from the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Zoning inspections of the Arcola/Route 50 area are tentatively scheduled to begin the week of May 9. Owners of property found to be in violation will receive a letter describing the actions they need to take to bring the properties into compliance.
For more information about the enforcement effort, contact the Loudoun County Division of Zoning at 703-777-0397.