VIRGINIA BRIEFING

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

METRO

Riders Can Talk to Officials at Open House

Metro's board of directors and senior managers will hold a public open house and meeting tomorrow evening in Arlington.

The event will be held at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, 1611 N. Kent St., two blocks east of the Rosslyn Metrorail station on the Blue and Orange lines.

During the open house, which starts at 6:30 p.m., Metro riders can view exhibits and talk to officials about new bus projects, new rail cars, safety and job openings. The meeting, from 7 to 9 p.m., will be moderated by Metro board member Christopher Zimmerman and the chairman of a riders advisory council, Dennis Jaffe.

-- Lena H. Sun

ALEXANDRIA

EarthLink Chosen to Build Wireless Network

Alexandria has selected EarthLink to expand the city's wireless network, the Atlanta-based Internet service provider announced yesterday.

EarthLink will build a citywide wireless network for a 16-square-mile area, with free wireless connections available in more than two dozen public locations. The provider also has worked on municipal WiFi in cities including Philadelphia and New Orleans.

EarthLink will bear the cost of installing the $4 million system and will provide an additional $9 million for wireless access for student computers and other municipal uses in exchange for the right to build the network on city property. It will recoup its cost by marketing the service to homes and businesses, city officials said.

The City Council is expected to approve the contract Dec. 16.

-- Annie Gowen

ARLINGTON CRIME

Man Is Shot in Columbia Pike Supermarket

A friend of a store employee's was shot and wounded last night inside an Arlington County supermarket during a suspected robbery, police said.

A masked gunman entered the Honduras Supermarket in the 3200 block of Columbia Pike shortly before 8 p.m. and shot a 50-year-old man in the upper body before fleeing, police spokesman John Lisle said.

"There was no indication he was provoked" into shooting the man, Lisle said. The victim, whose name was not released, was being treated at a hospital. His condition was not immediately known.

Lisle said details of the shooting were unclear last night.

-- Allan Lengel

HENRY COUNTY

Former Sheriff Pleads Not Guilty in Scheme

A rural sheriff who stepped down after being indicted with 12 current and former officers in a scheme to sell drugs seized from criminals pleaded not guilty to the federal charges yesterday.

"We're glad the process can now begin," said John E. Lichtenstein, attorney for H.F. "Frank" Cassell.

Lichtenstein said defense attorneys have a substantial amount of government evidence to review, which he said they will approach "with vigor."

Cassell was arraigned in U.S. District Court with three Henry County Sheriff's Department officers indicted in the racketeering conspiracy, all of whom pleaded not guilty. Arraignments for the rest were scheduled through tomorrow.

The indictment returned Oct. 31 said Cassell, 68, looked the other way as officers sold drugs seized in criminal investigations and stole guns and other evidence. He is charged with impeding federal agents' investigation and money laundering.

-- Associated Press