manassas journal messenger 12/18/00
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Monday, December 18, 2000 |
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Officer recognized for help in plane crash By Chris Newman Staff Writer MANASSAS During the Presidents Cup last October, President Bill Clinton came to the area on a DC-9 jet to Manassas airport, shutting down the airport’s flight operations to other traffic for 15 minutes. While Air Force One was three minutes out on final approach, a home-made plane in a holding pattern over the Nokesville area developed mechanical problems. The 43-year-old pilot Haim Primo turned his small mono-wing plane toward the airport, but a mile out, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field. The plane crashed, hitting a fence and trees and rolling over in a field. Manassas Police Officer J.J. Morris, who was assigned to the tower with a Secret Service agent, was the only person to spot the troubled plane, as tower personnel had to track Air Force One, as well as another DC-9 in flight, and two Air Force helicopters around the airport, a police press release said. Morris rushed out to the scene and freed Primo, trapped in the plane by a jammed rudder pedal. Morris was named the city police employee of the month for the incident. He was unavailable for comment. Morris got to the plane in four minutes in the off-road location using his own four-wheel drive vehicle, and six minutes before other personnel could arrive. “Officer Morris placed himself at personal risk when he entered the aircraft wreckage knowing there was fuel spilling from the overturned craft, and made not one but two entries to successfully free the pilot,” the release said. On the president’s travel arrangements, Airport Operations Specialist Joe Lee said they are not allowed to comment on the specifics involved. He did say that it was literally five seconds from the time Clinton walked off the jet to when he got in the awaiting limousine and whisked away. “It was very interesting to see how they handled that,” said Lee, who coordinated with the Secret Service to prepare the airport before Clinton’s arrival. “It was a pretty exciting day, all told.” Lee said a twin-engine DC-9 is smaller than the 747 jet that the president normally travels on, but he explained whatever plane the president is on is called Air Force One. City Manager Larry Hughes said the president has come to Presidents Cup in years past by helicopter, but this year he was coming from a USS Cole memorial in Norfolk, Va. What other famous people came through the airport during the Presidents Cup? The airport has a maintained a policy to not disclose passenger information for privacy, but Lee said he did not see Tiger Woods. Now that would have been news, he said. · Contact Chris Newman at [email protected]. |
The price is right for Lions Club fundraiser By Keith Walker Staff Writer
More than 200 people gathered at the clock court in the Manassas Mall on Saturday to see if their bids won the showcase sponsored by dozens of local merchants and the Park West Lions Club. In its showcase, the Park West Lions Club, in association the Manassas Mall, displayed products ranging from lava lamps to freezers. In the style of the game show, “The Price is Right” the Lions asked the public to come in and cast bids on the total price of all the prizes in the store front near Target. Rick White, of Swart, Leland and Associates, a Manassas accounting firm that determined the total price of the items in the showcase, presented the secret numbers to Jim Williams, the Park West Lions president. Before announcing the winner, Williams asked White if the numbers had remained secret during the bidding process. “These have been kept in a hermetically sealed Mason jar, guarded by wild dogs,” Williams asked White. “Something like that,” White said. Linda Boyd, who won the showcase with a bid of $22,931.77, wasn’t present when White, along with Williams, announced the actual price for the showcase was … $22,971.77. Since the rules for the game said that contestants needn’t be present to win, Williams tried to call Boyd on a cellular phone to tell her the good news. Boyd wasn’t home. “She’s probably Christmas shopping, not realizing she doesn’t have to,” he said. Williams tried several times to contact Boyd without success. He finally decided to leave the good news on her answering machine. Sharon Welch placed a couple of bids and came to the 5 p.m. ceremony to see if she got lucky. “I think it was a unique idea. I don’t really care if I win. I’m just glad it was done for the kids,” Welch, 44 of Nokesville said. The cost to enter the showcase was $5 per bid or three guesses for $10. The Lions raised $7,800 for local charities. Williams said the Lions will have the contest again next year. He said many of the local merchants reported that consumers came to their stores to shop after they saw some of the donations in the showcase. “It’s been a real good win win situation for the community. We’ll do it at least another year,” he said. Amanda Stuart, along with more than 12 others, won gifts from local merchants in door-prize drawings before the ceremony began. She didn’t want The Potomac News to reveal what she won. “I’m going to wrap it up and give it to my Mom, because I didn’t get her enough gifts for Christmas,” the 19-year-old mall worker said. · Keith Walker is a staff writer for the Potomac News in Woodbridge. |
Christmas Toy drives By Chris Newman Staff Writer
Holiday shoppers are busily marking off their lists and checking them twice – and also giving to local causes. The two major toy drives in the area are Toys for Tots and Angel Trees. · The Marine Corps Toys For Tots Campaign, the largest toy drive in the area, has collection sites for unwrapped presents running until Dec. 21. Drop-off sites include Potomac Mills mall, the Northern Virginia Community College Campus in Manassas, and the Manassas Coldwell Banker Stevens at 7696 Streamwalk Lane. Call (703) 784-2798 or (703) 784-2799 for more drop-off information. · The Prince William Salvation Army Corps has Angel Trees with gift card requests for needy children located at Manassas Mall, area Wal-Marts, BJ’s and supermarkets. Call (703) 221-2267 for more information. · The newly opened YMCA in the Portsmouth Station Shopping Center at Portsmouth and Sudley roads takes unwrapped present donations and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays. Call (703) 393-6677 for more information. |
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