Alexandria Police Roaming DWI tonight

ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

3600 WHEELER AVENUE

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22304

703-746-6600

NEWS RELEASE

MARCH 15, 2013 #13-019

2:00 P.M. DONALDSON

Alexandria Police to Conduct Roaming DWI Enforcement

On March 15, Alexandria police will conduct a roaming DWI enforcement effort to deter and apprehend intoxicated drivers.  The DWI crackdown will begin at 8:00 P.M. on Sunday, March 17, and will continue until 6:00 A.M. on Monday, March 18.  Motorists will be stopped and drivers will be checked to assure that their abilities to drive have not been impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Chief of Police Earl L. Cook reminds drivers that the maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction for driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges. In addition, there are mandatory jail terms associated with these offenses, depending upon the blood alcohol content of the driver. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles administrative fees may apply as well.
For further details, please call the Public Information Office at703.746.6600.

More than Sad

T.C. Williams is partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention to present the More Than Sad program to all current 9th and 12th
grade students. The More Than Sad: Teen Depression program was developed to
show young people and those close to them what depression looks like in
adolescents and how it can be treated. The key aims of this program are to
help teens recognize depression in themselves or their friends, and to
encourage them to seek help.
More Than Sad was designed to be used as an educational tool to achieve
several specific goals:

. To educate high school students and other teens to recognize the
signs and symptoms of depression in themselves and others;

. To convey the de-stigmatizing notion that depression is an illness
that, just like any other medical illness, responds to specific treatments;

. To promote the importance and acceptability of seeking help for
oneself or a friend; and

. To demystify the treatment process by showing how teens can get
help for depression, what treatment involves and what it can achieve.

Parent Presentation: The More Than Sad parent presentation will take place
at the PTSA meeting on March 18 from 7:00-8:15pm in the Rotunda (second
floor, room E201) at the King Street campus (3330 King Street). This
important presentation will provide parents with information about
adolescent depression and suicide, including risk factors, warning signs and
supports. Tips on how to talk to family members and when to get help, if
needed, will also be shared.

Some ways to Volunteer/Get involved in the Community

from Center for Children and Families, Department of Community and Human Services, City of Alexandria

Careers/Volunteerism

SOHO-Space of Her Own Mentor Orientations SOHO is a creative mentorship program that serves pre-teen girls with yearlong mentoring through engagement in life skills instruction, creative art activities, and meaningful community service projects. Mentor orientations will be held on Saturday, March 23 from 10 a.m. – Noon; Monday, April 8 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and Tuesday, April 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Art League’s Madison Annex (901 N. Fairfax Street). The sessions will provide details about SOHO, the mentor commitment and the application process. Emailquestions and register online.

George Washington STEM Garden Seeks VolunteersThe teachers of the George Washington Middle School Campus invite families to be a part of the school garden and expansion project. The garden took off last spring when a student-led project created an organic garden to improve the local watershed. Teachers are now working innovatively to tie core curriculum areas with learning in the garden. The grassroots Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) initiative could use the support of committed families. The garden team meets Thursdays after school in room C123. Email Mary Breslin to support the program.

National Missing Children’s Day Poster ContestThe Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is encouraging fifth grade students to participate in the annual poster contest, which creates an opportunity for schools, law enforcement, and other child safety advocates to engage children and families in discussions about child abduction and how to prevent it. Entries must be received by March 21.

Banking on YouthThe Consumer Bankers Foundation has partnered with Ashoka’s Youth Venture to sponsor an opportunity for youth ages 13-22 to showcase great ideas for a venture that directly benefits society. In addition to thirty $1,000 seed money prizes, the top six entrants will compete for the Audience Choice Award of $5,000 and the Grand Prize of $15,000. Entries must be submitted by March 15.

Together We BakeTogether We Bake is a comprehensive workforce training personal development program for women in need of a second chance, specifically women recently released from the corrections system. The program is centered on a small baking business where women actively learn and participate in food production, packaging and delivery. Support this initiative by ordering cookies or granola.

SAPCA March NewsletterAmong the articles features in the latest edition of the newsletter of the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria is a study that found many doctors do not ask theirteenage patients about their drinking.

Volunteer Alexandria March NewsletterLearn more about the 6^th Community Service Day (May 3) in the latest edition of Volunteer Times, the newsletter of Volunteer Alexandria.

International Foundation for Ethical Research Graduate FellowshipsFellowships provide up to $12,500 a year to students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs in the sciences and human or veterinary medicine who are working to develop alternatives to use of animals in research, testing, and education. An additional $2,500 will be provided for supplies. The fellowships are renewable annually for up to three years. Fellowships also will be considered for graduate students in other fields (e.g. education, psychology, humanities, journalism, the law) for projects that show promise with respect to increasing public awareness and/or promoting changes in the legal system or public policy regarding the use of animals in research, testing and education. The deadline for pre-proposal applications is March 30.

Alexandria Police to Host Free Child Identification Event

Alexandria Police to Host Free Child Identification Event

On Saturday, March 16, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Alexandria Police Department, in partnership with the Department of Community and Human Services, the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office and the Center for Alexandria’s Children, Inc., will host a SafeAssured Child Identification event for City residents.  The event will be held at Police Headquarters, located at 3600 Wheeler Avenue, in the first floor Community Room. SafeAssured Child Identification kits are being provided for free to families with children 16 and younger. The kits are available on a first come, first serve basis.

SafeAssured ID provides families with all the vital information needed by law enforcement and the media to immediately broadcast information unique to a missing child. Parents receive a completed, ready-to-use ID kit for their child. The free kit contains a privacy-protected mini-CD, which acts as a single storehouse of personal identification information essential to locating a missing child. Families also receive a photo data card and a Parents' Guidebook with prevention tips, written in conjunction with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. For more information, visit http://www.safeassured-id.com/.

Last year, 49,619 children in the State of Virginia were reported as possible victims of abuse and/or neglect.  Of these children, 6,116 were found to be victims of child abuse and/or neglect.  Thirty children in Virginia died from injuries attributable to abuse and/or neglect, and 26 of these children were age 4 or younger.  Parents can take immediate steps now to keep their child safe from abuse and protected all year long. 

In community events leading up to Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, police officers, deputies, social workers, and community volunteers will be providing ID kits as well as important child safety information and resources for parents and families.  Professionals will be on hand to assist families, providing them with simple safety tips and conversation starters to help parents and caregivers initiate important conversations with their children, conversations that can impact your child for a lifetime.

For more information, contact the Alexandria Volunteer Office at 703.746.1909. 

Only Me - Update

So we are on day 5 of me not changing the TP roll.

I think they have found a work around.....

In Our Own Voice: A Community Mental Health Presentation

In Our Own Voice: A Community Mental Health Presentation

In Our Own Voice is a unique public education program developed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), in which two trained speakers share compelling personal stories about living with a mental illness and achieving recovery. In Our Own Voice helps to foster understanding about mental illness in our community while providing an opportunity for individuals and families to share experiences, support and hope for recovery.

This free event will take place on Tuesday, March 19 from 7 – 9 p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.,Alexandria, VA 22314.

This event is co-sponsored by Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center, the Alexandria Community Services Board, the Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria and NAMI Northern Virginia.

Survey to Help Shape Future Look of Route 1 Transitway Service

Survey to Help Shape Future Look of Route 1 Transitway Service

The City of Alexandria, Arlington County and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) are preparing to introduce the region’s first rapid transit line using dedicated transit vehicle only lanes between the Braddock Road and Crystal City Metrorail stations. The rapid transit rubber tread vehicles will operate in dedicated lanes, allowing for more reliable and frequent service in the corridor. The vehicles will serve 17 rapid transit stations, and feature more amenities than standard bus stops. WMATA is currently conducting an online survey that will shape the look and feel of future rapid transit services in the region. Please take a few moments to complete the survey. Website: Route 1 Transitway Survey

If you have questions or need further information, please contact Susan Gygi atsusan.gygi@alexandriava.gov, or call 703.746.4109.

Family Bike Ride Saturday

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is sponsoring a free family bike ride through the Holmes Run Greenway this Saturday, March 16, 10 am, meeting at the Beatley Library. While helmets are encouraged, all riders 14 years old and younger are required by city code to have a helmet. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. Please RSVP to Jonathan Krall by Friday. jonathan@jonathankrall.net