Tax Deadline
<bt>The deadline for payment of the second half personal property tax is Oct. 5.
Payments postmarked after Oct. 5, will incur a 10 percent late payment penalty. The penalty date will not be extended for bills where assessment questions have been filed with the Commissioner of Revenue. Additional interest at the rate of 10 percent per annum will be assessed.
Information about payment locations include:
The Treasurer's Office locations are: first floor of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., Leesburg; in Suite 104 of the county offices at 21641 Ridgetop Circle in Sterling; 24-hour depository boxes are located outside each location. Both offices will have extended hours Thursday, Oct. 5, from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Payments may also be made: by mail to: 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 or online by credit card or authorizing a deduction from a bank account with e-check, visit the county Web site at www.loudoun.gov and click on "Pay Taxes & Decals Online."
The personal property 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 have not received your bills.
<sh>Community Needs Hearing
<bt>Residents and organizations are invited to provide comments on local housing and community development needs Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m., at the Department of Family Services, on the second floor of the Shenandoah Building, 102 Heritage Way, N.E. in Leesburg.
Comments received at the public hearing will be considered in preparing Loudoun County's annual action plan as required under the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The action plan, once approved by the Board of Supervisors, will be submitted to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in May 2007.
The goals of the plan include establishing a unified vision for housing and community development needs; strengthening partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, both for-profit and non-profit; and meeting the needs of low and moderate-income persons by providing decent housing, establishing and maintaining a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities
Anyone who requires a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate in the public hearing should contact the Department of Family Services at 703-777-0353 (V/TTY).
<sh>Fire Prevention Week
<bt>Loudoun County Fire-Rescue System is celebrating Fire Prevention Week, from October 8-14; this year's theme is "Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat."
In addition, fire companies will be holding open houses throughout the week.
* Sterling Fire Company 11 and 18 and Sterling Rescue Company 15 and 25, Saturday, Oct. 7, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., in conjunction with SterlingFest. Contact Grant Serbousek with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company at 703-430-7010 or Gwen Kjellberg with the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Company at 703-430-1780.
* Ashburn Volunteer Fire-Rescue Company, Sunday, Oct. 8, from 1-4:00 p.m. Contact Barbara Murphy with the Ashburn Volunteer Fire-Rescue Company at 703-729-0006 or see the company's Web site at www.ashburnfirerescue.org.
* Arcola-Pleasant Valley Fire and Rescue Company 9, Sunday Oct. 15, from 1-4 p.m.. Contact Debbie St. Clair with the Arcola-Pleasant Valley Fire-Rescue Company at 703-327-2222.
Loudoun County residents can learn more about all forms of fire prevention by contacting Joy Brown, public education manager, at 703-777-0333 or the NFPA's official Fire Prevention Week Web site: www.firepreventionweek.org.
<sh>Teen Charged
<bt>Two Ashburn teenagers were charged last week for their alleged involvement in a mini-crime spree where a total of six homes were burglarized, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. In one of the burglaries a homeowner came face-to-face with one of the suspects.
A total of $10,000 in property including cash was taken from the homes. Some of the items stolen included MP3 players, video-game systems and alcohol.
The series of burglaries took place between Aug. 28-31 in the Brambleton area of Ashburn. In most of the cases the suspects damaged the locks on windows to gain entry.
According to the Sheriff's Office, one of the teens is also a suspect in the Sept. 11 burglary of a home on Greenside Drive. During that incident a female homeowner confronted the suspect after he apparently entered through a door. As the victim attempted to contact authorities using a cell phone the suspect grabbed the phone broke it before fleeing the scene on foot.
The two teens have been charged with five counts of burglary, possession of stolen property with intent to sell it, and destruction of property. The 17-year-old who entered the home on Greenside Drive is also charged with an additional count of burglary and robbery. Both teens are being held at the Loudoun Juvenile Detention Center.
<sh>Robbery Suspects Wanted
<bt>The Sheriff's Office is investigating a reported robbery and abduction that occurred Friday, Sept. 29, in the Brambleton area of Ashburn.
A 21-year-old Ashburn man says he was at home in the 42500 block of Magellan Square when around 8:45 p.m. two unknown black males entered his home and robbed him at gun point. The victim says he was restrained with duct tape. After the suspects left the home the victim was able to get free but did not report the incident to authorities until 10:38 p.m.
The victim told authorities that a small amount of cash and a debit card were taken during the robbery. Investigators have learned that the stolen debit card was used that same evening around 10 p.m. at a Wachovia Bank ATM on Truro Parish Road in Ashburn.
Both suspects were said to be approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and one was said to have short, cropped hair. Both men wore masks during the robbery.
Anyone with information about the possible identity of the suspects or anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to contact Investigator J. Russ of the Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. If the caller wishes to remain anonymous, call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information leads to an arrest and indictment the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000.
<sh>Probation Checks
<bt> The Loudoun County Court Service Unit (Juvenile Probation and Parole) working in conjunction with the members of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (Gang Task Force, School Resource Officers, Communications and Transportation Division) and the Town of Leesburg Police Department conducted unannounced probation checks Friday, Sept. 29, on 63 juveniles and adults on probation and parole with the Juvenile Court Service Unit.
The operation resulted in the arrest of one juvenile and one parent. The juvenile was arrested for an outstanding detention order. A parent was also arrested for an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court. The juvenile taken into custody during the operation was released into the Loudoun County Youth Shelter.
<sh>ATV Crash
<bt>Sheriff's Deputies in conjunction with personnel from Loudoun Fire/Rescue responded to the area of Sam Fred Road near Quanbeck Lane around 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 27, for a report of a person injured from an ATV/utility vehicle crash.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Deona Lis, 19, of Middleburg, was operating a Kubota RTV900 all-terrain utility vehicle in a field when she attempted to cross a creek. The vehicle went up the side of an embankment leading down to the creek fjord. The RTV then flipped onto its left side. Lis was not wearing the vehicle's seat belt.
Lis was airlifted by Medstar to Washington Hospital Center and was in listed stable condition.