College Drinking to Be Discussed

Fairfax County college-bound students and their parents are invited to attend “The Perils of the College Drinking Culture,” an upcoming screening and panel discussion on a powerful, award-winning documentary, “HAZE,” which looks at the crisis of binge drinking and hazing on college campuses. Parents and students are encouraged to attend together the forum on Wednesday, July 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) at the Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale. This is the last of four forums organized by the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Police Department, Fairfax County Public Schools and NVCC.

Among those who will take part are: Fairfax County Deputy County Executive David Rohrer; Casey Lingan, chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney for Fairfax County; William Hauda, M.D., Inova Fairfax Hospital; Fairfax County Police Sgt. Daniel Pang, school resource officer supervisor, Community Resources Division; Mary Ann Sprouse, director, George Mason University’s Wellness, Alcohol and Violence Education and Services (WAVES); Jeff Levy, father of a student who died following drinking at a college party; and Samara Kimmelman, a GMU graduate student.

For more information, visit www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org or call 703-938-8723.

FCPD Helicopter Unit Honored

Members of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Helicopter Unit were awarded the annual Gus Crawford Air Crew of the Year Award on Saturday, July 20. The award was given for the rescue of two missing boys in Spotsylvania.

On Jan. 25, two brothers, 10 and 5, went outside to play in the newly fallen snow with their dog. When a parent went to check on them 30 minutes later, it was discovered that footprints from the boys led into the dense woods bordering the family’s home. Deputies from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office began searching for the boys and requested assistance from the Fairfax County Police Helicopter, “Fairfax One.”

Communicating with deputies below, the helicopter performed an extensive search using the infrared camera in the waning light of a winter afternoon with sub-freezing temperatures. With only 10-15 minutes remaining for Fairfax One to remain on the scene, a small heat source was located under a fallen tree next to a creek. Using the high-definition camera, the crew was able to spot the two missing boys huddled together under the tree and directed search-team members to their location.

The three officers who were recognized were Pilot Garrett Wymer, MPO Paul DeHaven and PFC Timothy Schilling. The Gus Crawford Air Crew of the Year Award is given annually by the Airborne Law Enforcement Assn., which was founded in 1968 and has 3,500 members worldwide. The rescue video from Fairfax One may be viewed at http://youtu.be/iBWd2qFCM-Q.

Crime Solvers 5K Fundraiser

In partnership with Capital Area Runners, Fairfax County Crime Solvers is hosting its first 5K run fundraiser and needs the community’s support. Residents are encouraged to sign up now to participate in this family-friendly event; everyone is welcome.

It’s slated for Sunday, Aug. 4, at 8 a.m., on Grand Commons Avenue at the Fairfax Corner Shopping Center, off Monument Drive in Fair Oaks. Register at www.capitalarearunners.com/crimesolvers5k.

A nonprofit, Fairfax County Crime Solvers provides an anonymous phone tip line, plus texting and e-mail capabilities to the public to report criminal information. Tipsters’ identities are protected under state law. This program is not run by the police department, but by business leaders and residents seeking to make this county a safe place to live and visit.

It pays cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 to anonymous tipsters when their information leads to an arrest and indictment. And the reward money comes through fundraisers such as this 5K. Learn more about Crime Solvers at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org.