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virginia

VCU Names Government School for Wilder

Virginia Commonwealth University has decided to name its new School of Government and Public Affairs in honor of former Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder.

The school's Board of Visitors approved the honor Friday. The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs will offer programs in criminal justice, economics, nonprofit management, political science, public administration and urban studies and planning.

Wilder, the nation's first popularly elected black governor, has been a distinguished professor at VCU for 10 years.

Woman Rescued From Fairfax House Fire

A woman was taken by helicopter to Washington Hospital Center yesterday after she was rescued from a burning house in the 1100 block of Custis Street in Fairfax County, officials said.

Lt. Mark Stone of the Fairfax fire department said two neighbors called about the fire about 11:45 a.m. and appeared to play a role in rescuing the woman. He did not have further details.

He said the woman, whom he described as elderly, did not appear to have life-threatening injuries but was taken to the hospital for observation. Three firefighters required treatment for minor injuries and were taken to Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, Stone said. The cause of the fire had yet to be determined. Officials estimated damage at $150,000, Stone said.

Two Die in Head-On Crash in Loudoun

Two women were killed yesterday when the cars they were driving collided on Route 15 in Loudoun County, police said. The accident occurred about 10:25 a.m. nearly a half-mile south of Harmony Church Road.

Jessica Coon, 20, of Manassas was driving a Kia Sephia north on Route 15 when she swerved into the southbound lane and drove head-on into a Chevy Lumina driven by Jean Fargo, 78, of Lansdowne, Virginia State Police Trooper Thomas Dunlap said.

Both died on impact, Dunlap said. There were no passengers. Fargo wore a seat belt; Coon did not, Dunlap said. Air bags in both cars deployed, he said.

Dunlap said that there were no hazards in the roadway and that it was unclear what caused the Kia to swerve across the road into the Chevy. Witnesses told police that traffic was moving at about the speed limit, 55 mph, at the time of the crash.

Chihuahua Stolen From Alexandria Shelter

An 8-month-old Chihuahua that recently had abdominal surgery and needs follow-up veterinary care was stolen from an Alexandria animal shelter Thursday, Alexandria police said.

Police said they are investigating the theft of Jemma, a spayed female who was taken from a fenced run area at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter on Eisenhower Avenue between noon and 6 p.m.

Jemma, whose adoption had been arranged, is black and tan, with short hair and weighs about seven pounds. She has stitches on her belly and a shaved spot on her front leg, police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Alexandria police at 703-838-4444 or the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria at 703-838-4774.