Man Sentenced for Arson
<bt>Douglas Amaya-Orellana, 30, of Herndon, has been sentenced to three years of incarceration and two years of probation for arson.
Amaya-Orellana had entered a plea of guilty in Loudoun County Circuit Court to the charge of arson of personal property valued at more that $200 in connection with the fire of his automobile Oct. 25, 2004 in the 42000 block of Ryan Road in Ashburn.
The fire destroyed Amaya-Orellana's 1992 Honda, which had been valued at approximately $5,000.
The fire was investigated by the Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office with the assistance of the Fairfax County Fire Marshal's Office and the Herndon Police Department.
<sh>Meeting Rescheduled
<bt>The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors' regular monthly public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 13, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 5, 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 hearing for October will be held as scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m.
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>Hazardous Waste Collection
<bt>The Loudoun County Office of Solid Waste Management is sponsoring a household hazardous waste (HHW) collection event Saturday, Sept. 17, at Stone Bridge High School, 43100 Hay Road, in Ashburn. The free event runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and is for Loudoun County residents only.
Typical HHW items are oil-based paints, stains and varnishes; paint thinners, old fuels including gas and oil mixes, kerosene, and diesel fuel; and cleaners such as oven cleaners, drain cleaners, bathroom cleaners and all purpose cleaners. Other HHW items are scouring powders, mothballs, mildew removers, metal polishes, rust removers, wood preservatives, furniture polishes and waxes and pool chemicals.
Used motor oil, used antifreeze, automobile batteries and
propane gas cylinders can be recycled year round at the Loudoun County Solid Waste Management Facility, also known as the landfill, at 20939 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. The items will not be accepted at this HHW collection event.
Also, latex or water-based paints are not a hazardous waste. Dry or solidify leftover paint for disposal with household garbage. For more tips on proper paint disposal, as well as information about HHW, visit www.loudoun.gov/oswm/hhw.htm or call the Office of Solid Waste Management at 703-777-0187.
<sh>Sheriff's Office Not Collecting
<bt>The county Sheriff's Office has received numerous phone calls from county businesses and residents who say they have received phone calls from a fund-raising campaign claiming to support the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
Currently locally based Dulles-Loudoun County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 69 is conducting a telephone fund-raising campaign; however none of the monies collected directly support the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. The FOP Lodge No. 69 is a legitimate organization.
In mid-September Loudoun County citizens will be invited to become associate members of the Virginia Sheriffs' Institute. Membership appeals will be mailed and residents and businesses will not be contacted by telephone. Individuals choosing to join the voluntary program can do so for as little as $20, while businesses can show their support with a $40 contribution.
The contributions are tax-deductible and upon receipt of the dues members will receive a membership card, a bumper sticker, a decal and a year subscription to The Virginia Sheriff magazine.
Any resident wishing to become an associate member can also sign up for the program by contacting the Sheriff's Office. The associate membership program was formed to provide citizens with an opportunity to lend their support to more effective law enforcement and to help better help local sheriffs protect the lives and property of citizens.
<sh>Stores Fail Alcohol Operation
<bt>Fifteen convenience stores and five grocery stores in the South Riding area and the western portion of the county
were selected Thursday, Aug. 25, for an operation targeting underage alcohol sales, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
Of the 20 sites visited by the Community Policing Section of the Sheriff's Office, nine stores allowed an underage person to purchase alcohol from the store. This is a 45 percent failure rate. A similar operation held in June found 10 out of 20 stores violating alcohol sales under the state code.
Last week's operation saw eight clerks cited for selling alcoholic beverages to a person less than 21 years of age. An agent from the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Office was present to note which stores had violations, in order to follow up with those managers.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the stores in violation were:
7-Eleven Store, east end, 700 East Main St., Purcellville; 7-Eleven Store, west end, 610 West Main St., Purcellville; Purcellville BP/Amoco, 731 East Main St.; Round Hill Mini Mart, 8 Main St.; Lovettsville 7-Eleven, 3 East Broadway St.; Deli-O Texaco, 43083 John Mosby Highway; South Riding Sunoco, 43270 Defender Drive; South Riding Sheetz, 25224 Poland Road; and South Riding Food Lion, 43090 Peacock Market Plaza.
The agency says they will continue to conduct more operations over the next few months.
<sh>Fire Ruled Accidental
<bt>The Loudoun County Department of Fire-Rescue Services' Fire Marshals Office concluded that the Aug. 27 fire that damaged a townhouse in Sterling was accidental, according to the department. The fire, which resulted in approximately $50,000 worth of damage to the residence, started when an unattended toaster that was being used to heat waffles overheated, catching the food on fire. The fire then spread to nearby combustibles.
Loudoun County Fire-Rescue Services responded around 12:13 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27, to a structure fire at 800 Brethour Court in Sterling. Crews went to work quickly to contain the fire to the kitchen and to keep it from spreading to the adjacent townhomes.
The six residents, who have been displaced pending repairs to their home, will be staying with family members. Additional assistance was provided by the Loudoun County After the Fire Program. There were no injuries reported.
<sh>Man Killed at Construction Site
<bt>An Arkansas man lost his life Tuesday, Aug. 30, after
he was run over by his own bulldozer at a construction site along Loudoun County Parkway near Ashburn, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
John T. McCray, 50, was observed working on a Case 850K Series 2 bulldozer shortly before 11:30 a.m. when the accident occurred. According to witnesses the man walked out onto the tracks of the construction vehicle to apparently work on the engine. For unknown reasons the bulldozer began to move backwards causing the man to fall to the ground when he was run over. McCray was pronounced dead at the scene.
<sh>County Receives Communications Award
<bt>The Loudoun County government has received an award of excellence from the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA) for its 2004 Annual Report.
Loudoun's 2004 Annual Report ranked among the top three nationally in the category of Publications Ñ Annual Reports for cities and counties with a population of 171,000 or greater. The judges characterized Loudoun's annual report as "very comprehensive; great photos; concise; important information presented very well."
The annual report was produced by the Loudoun County Office of Public Information.
Formed in 1988, 3CMA is an international association of more than 800 professional communicators working on behalf of city and county agencies and related organizations. The Savvy Awards program was started in 1989 as a way to recognize outstanding communications efforts by cities and counties. This year's awards program drew 707 entries in a range of print, video and marketing categories.