A Loudoun County elementary school teacher has been charged with assault and battery following an investigation involving a student. The Loudoun

County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that 49-year-old Valerie Bowen of Ashburn, a teacher at Horizon Elementary School, has been charged with

assault and battery. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the school resource officer assigned to Horizon Elementary was notified Thursday, October 1, of

an alleged incident involving Bowen and a student. The Sheriff’s Office then opened an investigation into the allegation. Bowen was issued a summons

and is scheduled to appear in court. Authorities have not released additional information about the alleged incident or identified the student involved.

The Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact the Loudoun County

Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021.

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Berkeley County is preparing to reorganize how emergency medical services are administered beginning next summer. The Berkeley County

Commission has adopted an order to dissolve the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority and transfer its operations to a new county

department called Berkeley County Emergency Medical Services. The change is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2027, allowing time for the

administrative transition. County officials say residents should not see a change in the level of ambulance service as a result of the reorganization.

Staffing, employee retirement and benefits and ambulance fees are also expected to remain unchanged. Fees currently collected by the Ambulance

Authority will continue to be used exclusively for emergency medical services in Berkeley County. County officials say the change is intended to

eliminate duplicative administrative functions and bring EMS, fire, emergency communications and emergency management under more direct

oversight of the Berkeley County Commission. The current Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority was chartered as a public corporation in

1988 and serves as the county’s official 911 emergency medical provider. According to the county, the agency currently includes approximately 85

EMTs, advanced EMTs and paramedics along with six administrative employees. It operates nine ambulances each day from eight EMS coverage

stations, including five stations located at volunteer fire departments. The administrative transition to Berkeley County Emergency Medical Services is

scheduled to be completed by July 1, 2027.

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