Celebrating End of Ramadan
<bt>Thousands of local Muslims will celebrate the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan with prayers Thursday, Nov. 3 or Friday, Nov. 4, around Northern Virginia and at a multi-cultural festival Saturday, Nov. 5, at the ADAMS Center.
The main prayer services will be Thursday, Nov. 3 or Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:45 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., at National Conference Center (Sport Center), formerly the Xerox Conference Center, between Sterling and Leesburg Route 7. Visit the Web site, www.adamscenter.org, Wednesday, Nov. 2, between 7-11 p.m., for moon sighting Eid decision announcement.
The festival and bazaar, including moon bounces, food, and bazaar, is Saturday, Nov. 5, from noon-5 p.m., at the All Dulles Area Muslims Society (ADAMS Center), 46903 Sugarland Road, Sterling.
<sh>Go Vote
<bt>Loudoun County voters will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8, for a general election to decide races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the Virginia House of Delegates. There will also be nine local bond questions on the ballot.
Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The Officers of Election will take the name of any qualified voter who is in line at the polling place by 7 p.m. and all such voters will be permitted to vote. If a resident isnÕt sure which election district or precinct he/she lives in, check his/her voter registration card, or call 703-777-0380. For more information, visit www.loudoun.gov/government/voting.htm.
<sh>Meeting Change
<bt>The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors' regular monthly public hearing for November will be held Wednesday, Nov. 9, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E. in Leesburg.
The board's regular monthly public hearings normally are held on the second Tuesday of the month. The November public hearing is being held on a Wednesday because Tuesday, Nov. 8, is Election Day.
Documents for public hearings as well as regular business meetings of the Board of Supervisors, including agendas and action items, are available on the Loudoun County Government Web site at www.loudoun.gov/bos/documents.htm.
<sh>Constituent Chat
<bt>Chris West, regional representative for U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), will hold office hours Nov. 9, at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., Leesburg, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., to discuss issues facing the area and to help anyone having problems with a federal agency. For more information, call West at 703-244-7261.
<sh>Offer Input
<bt>The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has adopted a revised policy for the Restricted Transient Occupancy Tax Funds (TOT). As part of this policy it has assigned Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association (LCVA) to lead a process to develop a Tourism Destination Strategy for Loudoun County. This strategy will be used to identify growth initiatives to increase tourism to the area over the next five years.
The LCVA Sales and Marketing Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from all segments of the Loudoun tourism industry, has developed a draft for the Tourism Destination Strategy. A draft version of the Tourism Destination Strategy matrix is available for download from the LCVA Tourism Industry Web site at www.visitloudoun.org/lcva/industrynews.cfm. Copies are also available at the Loudoun County Visitors Center at 222 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Suite 100, Leesburg.
Business representatives and citizens of Loudoun County are invited to review this draft, offer input, and help identify additional growth initiatives at a meeting to be held Nov. 9, from 3-5:00 p.m., at Holiday Inn Leesburg at Historic Carradoc Hall, 1500 East Market St., Leesburg.
To RSVP for the meeting, contact Brian Jenkins at LCVA, 703-771-2170, Ext. 21 or Jenkins@visitloudoun.org by Monday, Nov. 7.
<sh>Attempted Robbery
<bt>Three Sterling males were arrested and charged Monday, in Herndon for attempted robbery, according to the Herndon Police.
On Oct. 31, at approximately 10:30 p.m., a Herndon police officer on routine patrol observed suspicious activity in the 1000 block of Alabama Drive. The officer detained several subjects who were later charged with attempted robbery. These subjects included Joseph Walthall, 18, John Lee Motley, 18, and Evan Monte Hampton, 20, all of Sterling, according to the police. Charges are also pending on a 16-year-old female and 15-year-old male, both of Sterling, who were released to their parents, according to police. According to a Herndon police report, the subjects approached a 15-year-old and demanded money. The victim stated that he didnÕt have any money and the group started chasing him. He was reportedly kicked and hit by the subjects. The subjects were transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and are being held without bond.
<sh>Real Estate Taxes Sent
<bt>Bills for second half real property taxes were mailed to Loudoun residents Oct. 27. The deadline for payment of the second half real property tax is Dec. 5. Payments postmarked after Dec. 5, will incur a 10 percent late payment penalty. Interest accrues on both the tax and late payment penalty at a rate of 10 percent annually. The penalty date will not be extended for bills where assessment questions have been filed with the Equalization Board.
Payment options and locations include:
Treasurer's Office Locations: 1 Harrison St., S.E., first floor, Leesburg; 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 104, Sterling.
Twenty-four-hour depository boxes are located outside each location.
By mail: County of Loudoun, P.O. Box 1000, Leesburg, VA 20178.
By telephone: Call 703-777-0280 for information on how to pay taxes with a credit card.
Online: Pay taxes online by credit card or authorizing a deduction from a bank account with e-check. Visit the Web site at www.loudoun.gov/treas/online_payments.htm.
Real Estate Tax Relief program for the elderly and disabled is administered by the Commissioner of Revenue. Contact that office for more information at 703-737-8557.
Contact the Loudoun County Treasurer's Office at 703-777-0280 or e-mail taxes@loudoun.gov if you do not receive your bills by Nov. 5.
<sh>Shots Fired at Home
<bt>The Sheriff's Office is hoping the public can provide information on an incident last weekend where gunshots were fired into a Sterling home.
The owner of the home says he returned to his residence in the 100 block of Cottonwood Court Saturday, Oct. 22, and discovered a small hole in the wall of his living room. Deputies determined a bullet entered the home and came to a rest in the living room after striking a piece of hardwood furniture.
Deputies canvassed the area and discovered a second bullet lodged in the exterior of the home. Also found were several spent cartridges, later identified to have come from a handgun. A neighbor told authorities they had heard possible
gunfire earlier that same day.
The incident occurred sometime between 2 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Investigator T.F. Butler of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous contact Loudoun Crime
Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information provided leads to an arrest and indictment the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
<sh>Still Unsolved
<bt>Three years ago, Frank Beland, 75, and his wife, Lillian, 71, were found dead in their Fox Chapel condominium on Fort Evans Road, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. The master bedroom where their bodies were found had been set on fire, but the fire had extinguished itself when emergency personnel responded.
Though this case is classified as unsolved, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is confident that it will be solved. The Sheriff's Office continues to work with the Virginia State Police, the Loudoun County Fire Marshall's Office, the Loudoun County Commonwealth Attorney's Office, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Last week investigators met with officials at the FBI Academy in Quantico. Evidence found at the scene of the crime is being further tested using scientific examinations not available as recent as a year ago. Crime analysis suggests that the offender may have been present in the residence on multiple occasions prior to the night of the homicides.
The Sheriff's Office would like to remind the public of a significant cash reward offered for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and indictment of the suspect. Callers can contact the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475 or if they wish to remain anonymous callers can contact Loudoun Crime
Solvers at 703-777-1919.