<sh>Ralph Johnson Honored
<bt>The 2005 Spirit of Community Award Luncheon takes place Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington. This annual event honors an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the community. This year’s honoree is Ralph Johnson, founder of Johnson Associates, L.C. and youth mentor and benefactor. Charles Mann, former Washington Redskin and co-founder, the Good Samaritan Foundation, will be the keynote speaker.
Tickets are $35 per person and are available by calling the Arlington Community Foundation at 703-243-4785.
<sh>Ballston Celebrates 20 Years
<bt>The community is invited to celebrate at several events during the week of Oct. 23-29, which has been designated in honor of the Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership’s 20th Anniversary. Kicking off the festivities will be the grand re-opening of Hecht’s Oct. 21-23, with sales and promotions offered throughout the Ballston Commons.
On Sunday, Oct. 23, a United Nations Day program, with entertainment by several international groups, will be offered in the Food Court of the Ballston Common Mall, 3-6 p.m.
The Partnership celebrates on Wednesday, Oct. 26, with a gala event at the Hilton Arlington, 950 North Stafford St. The 6:30 to 8:30 event will feature "A Taste of Ballston" with Dan & Brads, The Front Page, The Melting Pot and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. On display will be several informative exhibits, an audio-visual memory tour, and a silent auction of exciting gifts offered by Ballston-Virginia Square merchants.
On Friday, Oct. 28, a walking tour of development projects in Ballston-Virginia Square will take place. Starting in Welburn Square, 9th and N. Stuart Street (across from the Ballston Metro station), at 3:30 p.m., the tour will visit several construction sites and areas where future development is planned.
For further information about 20th Anniversary events, please visit the Partnership Web site www.ballstonvasquare.org or call 703-528-3527.
<sh>Cereal Drive for AFAC
<bt>Hecht's at Ballston Common Mall will host a cereal drive for the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) in conjunction with the Grand Re-opening of their new Cosmetics and Accessories Departments. Boxes of cereal or other types of breakfast items may be brought to the Cosmetics Department on the first floor of the store. The drive will run start Oct. 20.
<sh>Arlington Man Dies
<bt>Thomas Paradiso, 46, of Arlington, died on Oct. 17 as a result of injuries from a car crash on Oct. 14 according to Fairfax County police. The accident happend on Friday around 6:30 a.m. in the Lorton area. Paradiso was driving a 1986 Toyota pick up truck in the southbound lanes of Backlick Road just north of Fullerton Road according to police when a 1986 GMC dump truck was turning left onto northbound Backlick Road into Paradiso's travel lane. Paradiso struck the left rear of the dump truck and the driver of the dump truck fled the area, police said. Paradiso was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital where he died. The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411 TIPS or Fairfax County police at 703-691-2131.