Smash and Grab Burglaries
Recently multiple instances of commercial burglaries have occurred in the Town of Herndon. The types of businesses targeted include a restaurant, wireless phone store and a pet store. The suspects act by smashing a glass door or window of the business and stealing any unsecured merchandise, currency, or other items of value. The offenses are usually committed during the early morning
hours. Herndon Police are actively investigating these crimes. Anyone with information about these or other crimes please contact Detective Duranko at 703-435-2990 or lee.duranko@herndon-va.gov. Callers may remain anonymous. Retailers are reminded of the following crime prevention tips:
* Limit the amount of cash kept at the store. Keep all currency in a properly installed safe and leave cash registers visibly open and empty when the business is closed.
* Ensure alarm systems are consistently used and verify that current emergency contact information is on file with the alarm company and the Police Department.
* Inspect surveillance equipment before closing. Ensure it is working properly (with a new tape if needed) and focused on relevant areas.
* High value merchandise should be secured within the store. Consider keeping such items in a back storeroom with high quality doors and locks.
* Keep an accurate inventory with serial numbers available in a secure location at all times.
* Contact the Crime Prevention Officer at 703-787-7627 or denise.randles@herndon-va.gov to schedule a Security Assessment to identify ways to improve safety and security at your business.
* Contact the Crime Prevention Officer for information to organize a Business Watch program with neighboring stores.
Herndon High Student Grabbed
On Monday, Jan. 23, a Herndon High School student reported that she was grabbed at 7:15 a.m. by an unidentified assailant along the parking lot fence near the Kingstream Steps. After the incident the female student reported it to the high school's main office. School security and police immediately responded and enlisted the help of Herndon and Fairfax County police to include a K-9 search. Nothing was found. The incident is still under investigation and currently the assailant is not believed to be a Herndon High student.
Herndon High School officials are urging students and parents to take extra caution to ensure student safety until further information about this case is gathered. Students are encouraged to walk to school together in pairs, and to avoid unlit areas. Police patrols are scheduled to be increased in the neighborhood surrounding the school. Anyone with further information about this incident is asked to call the school at 703-810-2200.
Rust Named Chairman to Subcommittee
Del. Tom Rust (R-86) was named as the chairman of the House of Delegates subcommittee on Higher Education. The announcement was made by House Education Committee Chairman Bob Tata of Virginia Beach.
Rust has a long history in higher education, having served from 1980 to 1988 on the Board of Visitors of Longwood College and from 1981 to 1988 as rector of the Board of Visitors. In 1996, he was appointed to serve on the Board of Visitors of Virginia Tech, where he served until his election to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2001. He was elected vice-rector in 2000. Since 2001, Rust has pushed for adequate funding for Virginia's public colleges and universities. He has been a proponent of better use of distance learning programs and for reforming the construction of university infrastructure. Rust's committee will meet each Tuesday in Richmond during the General Assembly's 60-day legislative session.
Elden Street Players
The Elden Street Players are scheduled to open “The Invention of Love" by Tom Stoppard, Friday, Jan. 27. The writer of "Shakespeare in Love," "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" and "Arcadia," Stoppard uses the free form of memory to give a sympartic account of his character, A.E. Housman, in the age of Oscar Wilde.
Classic professor and poet Housman dreams he is being ferried across the Styx, but his memories are dramatically alive. The river flowing through this play connects Hades with the Oxford of Housman's early manhood, where high Victorianism in art, literature and morality is being challenged by the aesthetic movement and an Irish student, called Wilde, is about to burst onto the scene. "The Invention of Love" asks, whose passion was really the fatal one?
Performances run Jan. 27 to Feb. 18. All shows run Friday and Saturday, at 8 p.m. One Sunday show is presented Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Tickets $15 adults/$12 seniors/students. Call 703-481-5930 for ticket and show information.
* ESP's children's theater will feature "Rapunzel," adapted by Noah Smith from the story by the Brothers Grimm. There's more to Rapunzel than just her long, long hair. Locked in a high tower as a baby, she grew up raised by Gothel the witch and her parents who talked to her from the ground. One day a goofy prince rides in and vows to save her. Here is where the story takes an unexpected turn. Performances run Feb. 4-20. Call 703-481-5930 for ticket and show information.
Project Hope & Harmony
Project Hope & Harmony has an open meeting to discuss the progress of the Herndon Official Workers Center, Jan. 31, 7:30-9 p.m., at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon. Visit www.projecthopeharmony.org for more information.
Nominees Sought for Volunteer Appreciation Night
Nominees for the following volunteer appreciation night awards are currently being solicited:
* Outstanding Volunteer Awards: a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer service during the past year, either within the Town of Herndon or of direct benefit to the town. Volunteer service may have been provided for more than one organization.
* Distinguished Service Awards: nominees for this award must have provided extensive, community-wide support through volunteer efforts in multiple organizations over a minimum two-year period that involved considerable leadership, time and effort. Previous Distinguished Service Award recipients may be re-nominated after a 10-year period. Volunteer service should have been performed either within the Town of Herndon or of direct benefit to the town. Three adults and two teen volunteers will be presented with the Distinguished Service Award.
Organizations and/or individuals are encouraged to forward nominations for the Outstanding Volunteer Awards and the Distinguished Service Awards to the Town of Herndon's Department of Parks and Recreation by Monday, March 27. Applications are available at www.herndon-va.gov under "What's New." For more information, contact Ann D. Hoy, recreation services supervisor, at 703-435-6800 ext. 2119 or e-mail, Mayor.Volunteer.Application@herndon-va.gov.
This year's awards will be presented Sunday, April 23. The event allows the mayor and Town Council to honor the spirit of volunteerism throughout the Herndon community by presenting awards to outstanding volunteers. The event will be held in conjunction with National Volunteer Week.
Chamber Business Awards Nominees
The Herndon Dulles Chamber of Commerce named the nominees for five categories of its annual business awards for 2005. Winners in each category will be honored at the Chamber's annual Awards Gala, Saturday, Feb. 4.
* New Business of the Year (in business for three years or less): Details Home Services, Element H2O, Embroid Me, 2Flare, and the Law Firm of Charles Tievsky.
* Small Business of the Year (employing 10 or fewer people): Moving & Redecorating Services, The O'Reilly Law Firm, Oliver & Oliver, United Chiropractic Center/Emily Hatt, Acupuncturist, and VARCom Solutions.
* Mid-sized Business of the Year (11 to 50 employees): Cascades Technologies, Holiday Inn Select Chantilly-Dulles Expo Center, Paul Brothers, Sign-A-Rama-Herndon and WebSurveyor.
* Large Business of the Year: OMNIPLEX World Services and Stanley Martin Homes.
* Business Citizen of the Year: Bridgman Communications' president Georgia Graves, Gary McCollum, head of Cox Communications-Northern Virginia, and Grace Wolf, owner of GNC-Fox Mill and GNC-Franklin Farm (Herndon).
* Educator of the Year (relative to each of the six high schools with which the Chamber has a partnership): Centreville, Chantilly, Chantilly Academy, Herndon, Mountain View and Westfield.
Town Calendar
Thursday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Board of Zoning Appeals
Friday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m.
Opening night, Elden Street Players, Industrial Strength Theatre