Loudoun County News - Loudoun Independent Newspaper - Ashburn, South Riding, Brambleton...: Week of 12-19-2007: Loudoun County News from Loudouni.com

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Alternative Gift Fair Receives NEW Support

The St. Gabriel’s Alternative Gift Fair has been extremely successful this year. The Alternative Gift Fair provides a venue for donors to make contact with various charitable agencies in Loudoun. By providing a central location for donations, St. Gabriel’s has been able to encourage donors to give gifts of charity for the holidays, helping people make donations in memory of a loved one or as a special gift for the people in their lives. Thus far, the Alternative Gift Fair has raised over $25,000.

The Alternative Gift Fair’s most generous donor this year has been NEW Customer Service Companies, based in Sterling. NEW donated an initial amount of $2500 in a community challenge with local businesses and residents. After that, employees at NEW donated $2000 to the gift fair which was matched by the NEW Corporate Foundation. NEW has donated $6500 to be distributed among 13 area agencies.

Farewell to the Board of Supervisors 03-07

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors elected to office in 2003 convened their last Board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18. For Mick Staton, Jim Clem, Steve Snow, and Bruce Tulloch, this was the last meeting as members of the Board of Supervisors after their respective losses in the Nov. 7 election. The four departing supervisors offered comments on service, record, accomplishment and appreciations.

Mick Staton (R-Sugarland Run) spoke first and announced that he and his wife welcomed a new baby on Dec. 14, Adam Joseph Staton. Staton said he knew what he would be doing with his time now that he will not be serving on the Board of Supervisors. Staton said he was “proud of my time here,” describing an interesting time of “ fights and laughs, but more laughs”.

The Toy Drivers

Tim and Mary Holmes, owners of Go Bananas Toy Store in Brambleton, delivered $3500 worth of toys to the “Out of the Box” Toy Drive. Go Bananas held a toy drive at their store where customers purchased $1500 worth of toys for charity. The remaining $2000 worth of toys was donated by the store. Thank you to Go Bananas and the community for their generosity this Holiday season.

The Secret Santa

For the third year, a mysterious benefactor delivered a large amount of toys to Galilee United Methodist Church in Sterling. An attached note read "To God give glory and praise. The Lord has seen fit to bless us in so many ways we would like to share that blessing with others. We know that Galilee will see that these toys reach those who need them most. And may they know that Jesus loves them very much. The donor remains anonymous, but their selfless gifts have warmed the hearts of the people at Galilee United Methodist.

Suspicious Death of Ashburn Teen

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s office is seeking the public’s assistance as the investigation continues into the “suspicious death” of Rodrigo Nicolas Vitullo, 19 of Ashburn. Virtullo’s body was found on Thursday, Dec. 13, lying under a few pine trees over an embankment near a sidewalk in a residential Ashburn neighborhood.

Authorities have learned Virtullo was with friends at a home in Ashburn Village Wednesday night before two of the friends dropped him off at his home on Ardmore Street in Broadlands around midnight. Virtullo may have been walking to a home in the Ashburn Farm neighborhood where his body was found. He was wearing only a t-shirt and jeans, no jacket. Investigators are hoping someone may have noticed Virtullo or seen him, given he was underdressed for the cold night temperatures.

Deputy Arrested for Embezzlement

Michael Cedric Henry, 46, of Fredericksburg, Va, a former Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputy was charged last week with embezzling over $6,000 from the County.

Henry, who is charged with felony embezzlement, turned himself over to Fauquier County authorities on Friday. He was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.

Henry allegedly falsified his timesheet between February and September 2007, according to the Sheriff’s office announcement. Loudoun authorities began an administrative investigation in October, which was then handled by the Sheriff’s office Criminal Investigations Division.

Henry worked in the Corrections Division and had been employed by the Sheriff’s office since July 2002, according to the Sheriff’s office announcement.

Power Outages Across Loudoun

Sunday’s ice and high winds left thousands of Loudoun residents without power. Two western Loudoun schools closed early due to their lack of power and heat. Wind gusts Sunday evening approached 50 mph at Dulles International Airport. Trees and power lines were reported down in several western areas of the County.

An important traffic light in eastern Loudoun County was a victim of the winter weather as were the Loudoun County Sheriff's department deputies who were called into action to direct traffic at the Route 7/Ashburn Village Boulevard intersection. Sheriff's spokesman Kraig Troxell said deputies were on the scene from the early Sunday morning hours until around 10 a.m., Monday, when traffic light became operational.

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