Womans' Club Bridge Jamboree
<bt>On Thursday, Nov. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Great Falls Womans' Club will be hosting its Fourth Annual Bridge Jamboree at Christ the King Lutheran Church, located at 10550 Georgetown Pike in Great Falls. The purpose of the event is to raise funds for the GFWC Scholarship Fund, to collect items & donations for the Fairfax County Women's Shelter, to meet fellow bridge players, and to have fun. There will be a range of playing abilities represented, and all levels of players are welcome to participate. Players will rotate individually and should bring $1 for morning play and $1 for afternoon play, which will be distributed among the top 10 winners. There will also be "2" prizes, coke-hand prizes, slam prizes and lots of door prizes. Snacks, beverages and a salad luncheon will be served. To make a reservation, send a check for $30, made out to GFWCSFB, to Karen Magley, 11608 Holly Briar Lane, Great Falls VA, 22066. Space is limited and reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. The last day reservations will be accepted is Nov. 25. For more information, e-mail Odiorne Beebe at owbeebe@yahoo.com.
<sh>Conservation Easement Breakfast Seminar
<bt>On Saturday, Dec. 2, a conservation easement seminar will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, 5000 Seminary Rd., from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT), a Virginia based non-profit land trust that is a leader in land conservation will host “A Breakfast Conservation Easement Seminar.”
"This seminar is for landowners, attorneys, accountants or anyone who wants to learn about the tax benefits of placing a piece of land under a voluntary conservation easement," said Michael Nardolilli, NVCT President. "People need to know easements are a great way to protect the natural integrity and beauty of the land, and about the possible federal, state, and local tax benefits of an easement. NVCT can accept easements on small pieces of land if there is conservation and public benefit along with larger pieces of land. We hope many people will come and learn more on December 2. "
A conservation easement is a simple legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a non-profit conservation organization that places permanent limits on the future development of the property in order to protect the conservation values of the land. The easement may also specifically protect natural, scenic or historic features of the property. Each easement is unique. The easement terms are negotiated between the landowner and a public agency or a qualified conservation organization. Except for rights explicitly given up in the easement document, the landowner continues to own, use and control the land. The landowner can still decide who has access to the property and for what purpose, just as before. An easement is a particularly useful tool for ensuring protection of the land's natural beauty because an easement lasts forever - it binds not only the current landowner, but also all subsequent owners of the property. Free and open to the public. Breakfast served. Space is limited. Reservations required. RSVP to amize@nvct.org or 703-354-5093 x 22 by November 29.
<sh>Faith and Public Policy
<bt>The public is invited to a Faith and Public Policy Breakfast at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, 1724 Chain Bridge Road in McLean, Saturday, Dec. 2, 8:30 to 10:15 am. A panel from Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, Temple Rodef Shalom, and Immanuel Presbyterian Church will describe the history and evolution of Chesterbrook Residences, Inc., a 97-unit assisted living facility under construction in McLean. They will describe how three diverse religious congregations conceived of the idea, interacting with government and the local community to handle the politics, financing, and business development of a major project to meet the growing needs of low-income elderly. Call 703-356-7200 for information.
<sh>Holiday Carol Sing and Museum Tour
<bt>On Saturday, Dec. 2, at 3 p.m., a Holiday Carol Sing and Museum Tour will be held at Historic Pleasant Grove Church, located at 8641 Lewinsville Road in McLean. Tour the Frances K. Moore Museum and listen to the Galloway United Methodist Church Sanctuary Choir. The Christmas tree will be encircled with Antique African-American dolls from the collection of Nancy Sampson. Hot cider and cookies will be served. Parking is in the lot adjacent to the cemetery. Everyone is invited to attend this free event. For more information, call Garry Jewett at 703-893-9075.
<sh>Reward Offered for Bank Robber
<bt>Fairfax County Crime Solvers is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the man responsible for robbing three banks in the past year, including one in the Tysons Corner area. The most recent robbery occurred at 4:25 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27. A man walked into the Bank of America at 7400 Little River Turnpike in Annandale and approached a 53-year-old teller. The man passed a note demanding money and implied he had a weapon. The teller complied, and the suspect fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. Outside the bank he brandished a knife at a bank employee. This was the second time the suspect robbed this branch.
The second bank robbery occurred on Friday, Jan. 27 at 11:30 a.m. The man entered the BB&T Bank at 1953 Gallows Road in Tysons Corner and walked to the teller window. He brandished a gun at a female employee and demanded money. She complied, and the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The first bank robbery occurred on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. The man entered the Bank of America at 7400 Little River Turnpike and walked to the teller window. He passed a note demanding money and implied he had a weapon. The teller complied, and the suspect fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Detectives believe the same person is responsible for all three bank robberies. He is described as an Asian man, 40 to 50 years old with a medium build. He stands 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 160 to 170 pounds. In each of the robberies he wore a jacket and a hat.
Anyone with information on the suspect or the three bank robberies is asked to call Fairfax County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A $1,000 cash reward will be paid for information which leads to an arrest. Callers may remain anonymous.