Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell remarked, “The foremost obligation of government is public safety. It is critical that all localities have the tools they need to protect citizens from threats to their communities. These funds represent the latest in a multi-phase plan to fill gaps in regional response and deterrence resources among local law enforcement agencies.”

The State Homeland Security Program provides funds to help build capabilities at the state and local levels through planning, training, exercise activities and purchase of needed equipment. Equipment scheduled for purchase with these grants includes incident response vehicles, personal protective equipment, automatic license plate readers and bomb squad gear. Potential recipients and equipment needs were identified through an analysis conducted annually by local law enforcement leaders, the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police.

Based on the needs analysis, project proposals were developed and submitted through the Governor’s Office to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for review and approval. Once DHS approved, the grants were issued by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, the administrative agency in Virginia for law enforcement grants under the SHSP program.

More information regarding grant opportunities with DCJS can be found at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/grants

Grant Recipients and Award Amounts:

Albemarle County PD $17,000

Alexandria City PD $40,000

Arlington County PD $285,000

Augusta County SO $17,000

Botetourt County SO $302,000

Bristol City PD $335,000

Campbell County SO $17,000

Carroll County SO $17,000

Charlottesville City PD $302,000

Chesapeake City PD $42,000

Chesterfield County PD $285,000

Danville City PD $319,000

Emporia City PD $17,000

Fairfax County PD $40,000

Fauquier County SO $17,000

Franklin County SO $17,000

Fredericksburg City PD $17,000

Galax City PD $285,000

Giles County SO $17,000

Grayson County SO $17,000

Henrico County PD $40,000

Isle of Wight County SO $17,000

Loudoun County SO $17,000

Lynchburg City PD $285,000

New Kent County SO $17,000

Newport News City PD $285,000

Norfolk City PD $285,000

Prince George County PD $17,000

Prince William County PD $40,000

Roanoke City PD $285,000

Roanoke County PD $57,000

Rockingham County SO $302,000

Salem City PD $17,000

Scott County SO $17,000

Stafford County SO $302,000

Virginia Beach City PD $74,000

Staunton City PD $17,000

Suffolk City PD $17,000

Warren County SO $302,000

Washington County SO $17,000

Waynesboro City PD $17,000

Williamsburg City PD $17,000

Winchester City PD $17,000

Wise County SO $17,000

Wythe County SO $17,000

via  Winchester Daily-Monitor.

Previous Release: Sex Offender Fails to Register

West Springfield Police District – A58-year-old piano teacher was arrested for allegedly failing to adequately update his information on Virginia’s Sex Offender Registry. Around 10 a.m., on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, Charles Duwain Dillon, of 6940 Spelman Drive, was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with violating Virginia Code 18.2-472.1.

Dillon allegedly set up a web site entitled “Piano Dreams Studio” advertising piano lessons for ages 4 and up, and failed to register it. Virginia law requires a registered sex offender to notify authorities within 30 minutes of any change to their internet communication used by the offender.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

via  Fairfax Daily-Monitor.

Police believe that the woman may have committed similar robberies on February 26 and March 2, 2010.

The suspect was described as black, with very dark skin, around 5 feet 4 inches tall and heavyset. She may have weighed between 160 and 170 pounds. She wore black shirt and pants, a black and white scarf around her head and large sunglasses.Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

via Suspect Robs Third Bank in Centreville Va | Fairfax Daily-Monitor.

The suspect was described as black, in his 30s to 40s; about 5 feet 6 inches tall with a medium build. He was wearing a yellow construction hat, a dark sweat shirt, and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477

Fairfax News via Fairfax Daily-Monitor.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

Fairfax news via Fairfax Daily-Monitor.

Jose Roberto Artiga

LCSO Investigators Release Photo of Wanted Suspect Involved in Sterling Stabbing

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the whereabouts of a suspect involved in a stabbing March 8, 2010 in Sterling, Virginia. The incident took place around 3:30 p.m. in the 120 block of Forest Ridge Drive.

A warrant for malicious wounding has been obtained for the suspect, Jose Roberto Artiga, of Sterling. Artiga, who lives at the residence on Forest Ridge Drive, allegedly stabbed an acquaintance at the home.

A weapon was recovered but it is unclear if the suspect remains armed at this time. Artiga is described as a Hispanic male in his 20’s with light skin. He is further described as having short cropped black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a gray shirt with the lettering “ECKO” across the front.

The victim is currently being treated at a local hospital for what is described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Artiga is asked to contact Investigator M. Bush of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. If the caller wishes to remain anonymous, they are asked to contact 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.

The suspect fled the scene and is still believed to be in the area on foot. A weapon was recovered but it is unclear if the suspect remains armed at this time. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 20’s with light skin. He is further described as having short cropped black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a gray sweater with the lettering “ECKO” across the front.

The victim and the suspect in the case are believed to be known to each other. The victim is currently being treated at a local hospital for serious injuries.

Anyone who observes any suspicious activity in this area is asked to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021.

Loudoun News via Loudoun Daily-Monitor.

Virginia News via Loudoun Daily-Monitor

The bee, held on Thursday, March 5th, at Stone Bridge High School, opened with “recyclable” and ended with “irascibility.”

Forcier will now go on to compete in the 82nd Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee June 2nd through 4th in Washington, D.C. His Loudoun County victory earned him the following prizes:

• Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster, donated by Merriam-Webster. (This is the official reference of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.)
• A $20 Amazon.com gift certificate, donated by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
• The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award certificate for a savings bond, donated by Jay Sugarman, Chairman and CEO of iStar Financial who established this award in honor of his father, Samuel Louis Sugarman, who revered academic achievement.
• A one-year subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online for Kids, donated by Encyclopedia Britannica.
• A trophy donated by Loudoun County Public Schools.

The competition began with 107 students on stage. Round two began with 45 students; round three featured 15 students and for round four there were eight students left competing. The final rounds were two-man rounds of competitive spelling with runner-up Steven Androphy, a seventh-grader from River Bend Middle School, facing off against Forcier.

Androphy was awarded:

• A $20 Amazon.com gift certificate, donated by Amazon.com.
• A one-year subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online for Kids, donated by Encyclopedia Britannica.
• A $10 Books-A-Million gift certificate, donated by Loudoun County Public Schools.

Spelling bee finalists include:

• Rachel Wilmans of Loudoun Country Day School
• Emily Peacock, Home Schooled
• Thomas Garber, Home Schooler
• Andrew Wolfe of Mountain View Elementary School
• Mohammad Zahid of Sterling Middle School
• Ghalia Estaiteyeh of Seneca Ridge Middle School

The Loudoun County spelling bee has been sponsored by the Loudoun Times-Mirror since its inception.

Thomas Pollock, assistant principal at Eagle Ridge Middle School, was the pronouncer for the event. Holly Eva, an English teacher at River Bend Middle School, served as head judge. Retired principal Elizabeth Dotur who coordinated the first six Loudoun County spelling bees; Elizabeth Greenblatt, a secretary at Rolling Ridge Elementary; and Barbara Payne, the managing editor for the Loudoun Times-Mirror, were also judges.

Dr. Michele Schmidt Moore is the spelling bee coordinator and LCPS supervisor of English and language arts. Katherine Powell, general manager of the Loudoun Times-Mirror, and LCPS Superintendent Dr. Edgar B. Hatrick III provided opening remarks for the evening.

Also attending the event were Loudoun County School Board members Robert F. DuPree (Dulles District), J. Warren Geurin (Sterling District) and Thomas E. Reed (At-Large).

Loudoun News via Loudoun Daily Monitor

Criminal Investigation Division detectives responded to the scene and are in the process of investigating this incident. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective C.A. Smith or Detective F.J. Myrtle at 540-545-4707

Winchester news via Winchester Daily-Monitor.

via Shots fired in Waffle House in Martinsburg : Winchester Daily-Monitor.

—
A passenger in a Toyota minivan died Sunday, March 7, and the driver is in life-threatening condition, after a crash that occurred around 4:25 a.m. Two men were traveling westbound on Walker Road, near Akhtamar Drive, when the driver apparently ran off the road to the right, overcorrected, drove off the road to the left and struck a tree. Police have tentatively identified the deceased as between 18 and 20-years-old, and the driver as an 18-year-old Great Falls area resident.

The wreck was found by a passerby.

Crash Reconstruction Detectives are still investigating the scene and preliminarily believe that speed may have been a factor in the crash. Police have not yet notified family members of the injured or the deceased.

Fairfax News via Fairfax Daily-Monitor

The concentrated enforcement initiative will focus on making Interstates 81 and 95 even safer for motorists. By targeting aggressive drivers, speeders and impaired drivers, Virginia State Police hope to further reduce the chances of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities from occurring on the two selected interstate corridors.

As of 12:01 a.m. Friday, March 5, 2010, 83 traffic fatalities have been reported to the Virginia State Police. On this date in 2009, traffic fatalities totaled 104. In all of last year, preliminary reports indicate 753 individuals lost their lives in traffic crashes on Virginia highways.*

“Starting the New Year with a 20 percent decrease in traffic fatalities across the Commonwealth is very encouraging to those of us committed to making our interstates and highways safer,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Operation Air, Land & Speed helps us continue that momentum by stepping up our presence on selected interstate corridors, which we know directly affects drivers’ behaviors and actions.”

Drivers are not only advised to obey speed limits, avoid distractions, share the road and drive drug and alcohol free, but to also make sure everyone seated in the vehicle is securely buckled up. With the increased presence of troopers on the interstates, motorists are reminded to comply with Virginia’s “Move Over” law. The state law requires drivers to change to another travel lane or, when not able to, to cautiously pass emergency personnel stopped on the side of the road.

This weekend’s Operation Air, Land & Speed is the thirteenth one conducted on the north-south corridors of I-81 and I-95 since its inception in 2006. The enforcement effort targets all 177 miles of I-95 from border to border; and all 325 miles of I-81 from border to border. A total of 114,199 summonses and arrests have resulted from all 22 Operation Air, Land & Speed initiatives conducted across Virginia since 2006.

The comprehensive enforcement project will utilize troopers, supervisors and motor carrier troopers. State police operational duties on other interstates, primary and secondary roads will not be affected during the operation. Funding for the enforcement initiative is provided through federal highway safety monies.

“We welcomed the opportunity to highlight the Arlington County Detention Facility and our partnership with the Department of Human Services in assisting incarcerated individuals.” stated Sheriff Beth Arthur, “We appreciate Senator Webb’s interest in our operations and the programs that assist individuals re-enter the communities better prepared.”

via Senator James Webb

SEAL BEACH, Calif.,, March 6, 2010 – The Navy commissioned the newest guided-missile destroyer, the USS Dewey, to its fleet today at a ceremony steeped in naval symbolism and tradition.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his wife Deborah, USS Dewey ship's sponsor, and Cmdr. Warren R. Buller, commanding officer, USS Dewey, watch the crew bring the ship to life at the commissioning ceremony for the U.S. Navy's newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer at Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, Calif., March 6, 2010. DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad McNeeley

At the Naval Weapons Station here, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered remarks to a crowd of thousands before the admiral’s wife Deborah Mullen, the ship’s sponsor, called the order that brought the $1 billion warship to life.

“You’re getting a true gem: a ship as well built and well-tested as they come and manned by performance-proven, highly motivated sailors. May you deploy Dewey to the tip of the spear.” Mullen said from a podium aboard its quarterdeck.

USS Dewey, the 55th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, can conduct an array of operations, officials said, including the capability to fight simultaneous air, surface and subsurface battles. Considered part of the Navy’s Aegis combat warship fleet, the Dewey can detect threats nearly 100 miles away.

For Mullen, today’s event was something of a homecoming. The Los Angeles-native recalled serving early in his career on the USS Collett, which was stationed in Long Beach. But in the years since, the admiral said, the security environment in which the U.S. Navy operates has expanded to challenges that are “global in scope” and have required the military to adapt to change.

“In the future, there will be more allies and competitors, more challenges and more opportunities to engage, equating to a greater range of maritime missions than ever before,” he said. “You cannot shrink from that. Resolve yourselves to be up for the challenge, to always be ready (and) to lead the future.”

The story of the USS Dewey itself is one of continuity and change, as two previous ships have been the namesake of Adm. George Dewey and operated under vastly different circumstances. The first was a destroyer that survived the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. The second was a Cold War-era destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate before being reclassified as a guided missile destroyer.

The new destroyer also honors Dewey, a hero of the Spanish-American War, who led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay in April 1898 and destroyed the Spanish fleet in two hours. Not a single American died in the fight.

The commissioning today marked the final phase of the new ship’s symbolic evolution, some two years after Mullen’s wife christened the Dewey at a ceremony in early 2008. In keeping with tradition, Deborah Mullen today invoked the time-honored Navy tradition by ordering the crew to “Man our ship and bring her to life!”

Upon hearing the command, columns of crewmembers standing in formation on the port sprinted up gangways onto the Dewey. Volleys of gunfire blasted from mounted pieces on the quarterdeck, alarms and horns blared, radars and satellites swiveled in place as the personnel lined the ship and saluted the crowd.

Navy Cmdr. Warren R. Buller, the commanding officer of the USS Dewey, said in an interview before the ceremony that in addition to placing the ship in formal commission, today’s event recognizes the hard work of the Navy personnel that brought it to this point.

“Remember, when the navy buys a ship, it’s not like buying a car where you just come in and drive it off the lot. Imagine if you bought a car and they made you put in the seats and seatbelts,” he said. “So really today’s a recognition and celebration of the hard work of the crew to get the ship from shipyard to the Pacific Fleet.”

Navy Personnel Specialist 2 Randi Dozier, who has been assigned to the ship since March 2008, said today’s commissioning marked the crew’s crowning achievement.

“This is the defining moment when it’s brought to life,” she said. “It wouldn’t have gotten here without everybody’s hard work. I’m happy to see it finally come to commission.”

via Defense.gov News Article: Mullen Declares USS Dewey a ‘True Gem’.

Since women have joined the ranks of the American Fire Service as career and volunteer members, the quality and richness of our culture and honorable profession has been truly enhanced. Their contributions to our previously male-dominated industry have been transforming and compelling in departments and communities across this nation. It has been my observation first hand, both as a metropolitan fire chief and now as the U.S. Fire Administrator, that the fire service is truly a better service provider today in part because of the many women who have heard this special calling to serve their communities.

Every day, these highly trained women are engaged in firefighting, EMS and many special operations as valued participants standing elbow-to-elbow alongside their fellow crew members. Women serving as company and chief fire officers make significant life safety contributions to local departments, state and national fire service associations, and federal fire and emergency management organizations as proven leaders and forward thinking managers.

As the nation celebrates Women’s History Month, I ask my fellow fire service leaders, to join me in celebrating the contributions of all women, past and present, in the American Fire Service. On behalf of the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Fire Administration, we are grateful for your dedication and commitment to our mission. We are proud and honored to witness the efforts of all firefighters in service today, protecting their communities.

For complete information regarding the 2010 Women’s History Month, visit www.womenshistorymonth.gov.

The suspect was described as black, around 5 feet 10 inches tall and thin. He may have weighed between 150 and 160 pounds. He wore a black backpack, dark sunglasses, a mask, a brown hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477

Read full story via Bank on Braddock Road Robbed | Fairfax Daily-Monitor.

From the new album “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky” available at http://www.okgo.net/store
Directed by James Frost, OK Go and Syyn Labs. Produced by Shirley Moyers. The official video for the recorded version of “This Too Shall Pass” off of the album “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky”. The video was filmed in a two story warehouse, in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The “machine” was designed and built by the band, along with members of Syyn Labs ( http://syynlabs.com/ ) over the course of several months.

Shortly after noon Friday, a 2008 black Nissan Altima was traveling northbound on Interstate 95 in Chesterfield County. According to witnesses, the Nissan was tailgating vehicles and making rapid lane changes by weaving in and out of northbound traffic. When the Nissan began tailgating a Chevrolet sedan, gestures were exchanged between the drivers of both vehicles.

The Nissan then pulled alongside the Chevrolet and the drivers began yelling back and forth at one another. As the vehicles approached the 62 milepost of I-95, the driver of the Nissan pulled out a pistol and fired one round at the Chevrolet and two rounds into the air as he drove by the sedan. The Nissan then fled the scene. The shooting occurred at approximately 12:36 p.m.

Based on the information provided to Virginia State Police by the Chevrolet’s driver and passenger, Trooper J.A. Taylor was able to identify and locate the suspect vehicle at a residence in the 2800 block of Pine Meadows Circle in Chester.

By 1:35 p.m., Coker was taken into custody without incident.

There is no evidence that the Chevrolet was struck by any of the bullets fired at it. No one in the sedan was injured. At this time, there have been no reports of any other vehicles in that area of I-95 being struck.

The incident remains under investigation.

“We were confronted with two piecemeal infrastructures featuring aging components that lacked the flexibility to support new technologies. In addition, more recent advancements failed to integrate effectively across multiple systems,” explained Dr. Mike Murphy Superintendent of Clarke County Public Schools located in Berryville, Virginia. “Faced with today’s budgetary realties, we needed to leverage and ensure that investments in the existing infrastructures were feasible, eliminated the complexities of operating two similar networks, and enhanced our combined system with modern features.”

To implement the re-design and OSPF migration of the WAN converged core network and underlying infrastructure, the Brett Networks team had to address various issues including:

• Evaluate the current infrastructure environment to serve as the foundation for the project plan, making the best use of installed systems, existing fiber plant and converging of the multiple networks
• Determine design and integration improvement opportunities to current network operations
• Identify enhancements that enable expansion for VoIP, educational learning applications and administrative software applications
• Institute WAN network standardization and migration from proprietary protocols to open standard protocols that offer greater efficiencies

“Clarke County needed to deploy a single county wide network that featured state-of-the-art functionality standards based WAN protocols on the existing and new infrastructure,” said Marcas Burton, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brett Networks. “These are the kinds of challenges on which we thrive. We made a thorough assessment of current networks and determined what could be repurposed and what needed to be upgraded. Coupled with the advantages of open standards technologies, we were able to deliver Clarke County a converged network with reliable performance, expansion capabilities to accommodate growth, enhanced tools to ease administrative tasks and significant cost savings now with a strategy for ongoing cost controls.”

Brett Networks offers collaborative, intelligent IP Network Services and Solutions designed to support the current and future needs of educational institutions, government entities, businesses and organizations. The company takes a holistic approach to network services and solutions. Adept at balancing the need for advanced communications applications in an environment with limited resources and budgetary challenges, Brett Networks designs solutions incorporating exceptional efficiencies that secure cost savings without sacrificing state-of-the-art technologies

Trains will be able to pass through the Pentagon Metrorail station, however they will not be permitted to pick up or drop off riders.

The Pentagon Transit Center will be closed to start the day on Friday. Buses that usually pick up or drop off riders at the Pentagon instead will pick up and drop off riders at nearby Pentagon City Metrorail station along South Hayes Street in Arlington. Customers will be able to make their bus-rail transfers at Pentagon City Metrorail station instead of Pentagon Metrorail station. Customers should look for their buses along South Hayes Street.

Bus riders should build at least 20 minutes more into their morning commute if they usually take a bus to the Pentagon. This extra time will be needed to allow for extra traffic in the area of Pentagon City and to allow enough time to alight a bus and enter the Pentagon City Metrorail station to transfer to the rail system. For individuals who usually transfer from one bus to another at the Pentagon, they will also need the time to locate the bus to which they want to transfer.

Individuals who have business at the Pentagon and are riding on the rail system or bus system can either get off at Pentagon City and walk about one-third of a mile to the Pentagon or take a shuttle bus to the South Kiss & Ride lot.

It is not known when the Pentagon or Pentagon Transit Center will reopen on Friday.

via Metro

Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash. There were no signs of braking prior to the impact. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

via Crash on South Kings Highway | Fairfax Daily-Monitor.