Good day, I’m Terry Rounds, and welcome to the Fairfax County News to Use podcast of December 18, 2007. Coming up, learn about the upcoming dog license deadline, making holiday ornaments, parking garage closure and snow removal information. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.
Dog license renewals are due Jan. 31. All dogs four months of age or older must be licensed and the cost is $5 for spayed or neutered dogs and $10 for unsprayed or unneutered dogs. To purchase tags, fill out a form online and mail it in or stop into the Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, or to the Animal Shelter at 4500 West Ox Road in Fairfax. Residents who purchased tags in prior years should have already received application forms in the mail. Tags are good for one year. For more information, visit the News to Use Web page or call 703-222-8234.
Make your own holiday ornaments at Riverbend Park through Dec. 31. Teasels, pine cones and walnuts add up to make some cool holiday ornaments. Bring your imagination and create some stylish or wacky items or follow some of our examples. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; noon to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Reservations are recommended for groups. The cost is $5 for two ornaments. For more information, call 703-759-9018.
And finally, if it snows this winter, know who plows the streets. The Virginia Department of Transportation is responsible for removing snow and ice from the thousands of miles of public roads in Fairfax County. Clearing is done on a priority basis, with interstates and high volume roads cleared first. Once the most heavily traveled roads and emergency routes are adequately clear, snow crews move to less-traveled roads and subdivisions. Some subdivisions are cleared by private contractors. Please contact VDOT at 703-383-8368 for further information about its snow removal operations.
The top floor of the Herndon-Monroe Park-and-Ride garage is now closed temporarily for structural repair and routine maintenance. The parking garage is located at 12530 Sunrise Valley Drive, Herndon. Sections of the top floor are expected to begin reopening in mid- to late-March 2008. For information about parking and transportation alternatives, call 703-339-7200 or visit www.fairfaxconnector.com.
That’s all for this News to Use podcast. Thanks for listening. For more information about the topics in this podcast and for continuous news updates, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news. You may also call 703-FAIRFAX, that’s 703-324-7329, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. News to Use is produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia, government.