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TextStory Ideas in Fairfax County Government
Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935, FAX 703-324-2010
May 15, 2003
Story Ideas in Fairfax County Government
The Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs provides a summary of news briefs designed to inform the media about great story ideas in Fairfax County government. The information provided gives the background on a newsworthy story as well as the contact information to provide more information, interviews, etc. For additional questions on the Future Features service, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935.
Olympic Cycling Hopeful
Todd Roberts, master planning project manager with the Fairfax County
Park Authority and ranked 13th nationally in amateur cycling by the U.S.
Cycling Federation, hopes to make the U.S. Olympic Cycling Team. Roberts,
a serious cyclist for many years, has entered more than 350 races and
holds the 2002 Virginia State Cycling Championship. Having earned a place
in the Elite level of the amateur category qualifies Roberts for the
Olympic trials next year. Each day he begins a conditioning program that
starts at 4:40 a.m., followed by a full day of work, a workout at the
employee's fitness center and at least four hours of cycling training in
the evening. Roberts plans to go to Holland in October to compete on the
European cycling circuit to better prepare himself for the Olympic
cycling trials. For more information, contact Judy Pedersen, public
information officer for the Park Authority, at 703-324-8662, TTY
703-324-3988.
Making Democracy Work
The strength of a democracy depends on the level of involvement of its
citizens. A rewarding way for citizens to get involved in the democracy
on which our nation was founded is to serve as an election officer.
Approximately 2,500 officers are needed to help staff Fairfax County's
225 polling locations for every general election. General elections are
held every year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
If you would like to serve as a Fairfax County election officer or if you
would like more information, please call the Fairfax County Electoral
Board at 703-324-4735, TTY 703-324-1877, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb.
Tim Harmon 5K
Building on the success of the past three years, the fourth Annual Tim
Harmon 5K is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, at 8:30 a.m. at the Fairfax
County Government Center. The morning will feature awards to the top
three finishers overall and to the top three finishers in numerous age
categories. There will be food, T-shirts and live classic rock music
performed by the Sock Monkeys. In addition to runners and walkers
divisions, there will be divisions for county employees and baby joggers.
The 5K is sponsored by the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board
- Alcohol and Drug Services and many other organizations and businesses.
Proceeds will go to the Hepatitis Foundation, Friends of Sunrise, Friends
of Crossroads and the American Liver Foundation, Washington D.C. Metro
Chapter. Tim Harmon was the director of the CSB Alcohol and Drug Services
residential program until he lost his fight with hepatitis C in 1999. For
more information or a registration form, call 703-318-7261, TTY
703-538-5292.
County Hires Environmental Health Entomologist
Fairfax County has hired Jorge Arias as its first environmental health
entomologist to serve as the program coordinator and technical expert in
the arbovirus control program with a special emphasis on mosquito
abatement. Arias will be responsible for planning and administering
comprehensive programs focused on monitoring and controlling diseases
spread by insects. In addition to developing local programs, Arias will
develop policies and guidelines that align with regional, state and
federal recommendations to ensure a coordinated control effort and will
serve as the county's technical expert on environmental health and public
safety issues related to arbovirus control. Arias earned a Ph. D. in
entomology from the University of California, Riverside in 1973 after
receiving a Masters in Science from Whittier College in 1969. He has most
recently worked with the Pan American Health Organization as the regional
advisor in communicable diseases. For more information, contact the
Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935.
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