River City politics get nasty - Warren County Report Newspaper

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Volume IV, Issue 24 · Early December, 2009
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River City politics get nasty
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Page • Warren County Report • Early December, 2009
Social Services
“Well, she’s entitled to her opinion and my opinion is entirely different.” –
North River District Supervisor Glenn White on WCDSS Chair Prudence
Mathews’ remarks
Careful what you wish for - you got it
Mathews blasts supervisors – DSS board says ‘tag your it’ on Jan. 1
In lieu of their faces, WCDSS critics Judy McClosky,
left, and Linda Selover display their favorite local
newspaper to their least favorite newspaper’s probing and all-seeing eye.
By Roger Bianchini
Warren County Report
Warren County Department
of Social Services Board Chair
Prudence Mathews had an early
Christmas present for county government on Nov. 17 – full county
board authority over the county
social services department, even
before it was discussed and voted
on later that evening.
In a scathing appraisal of a collective failure of comprehension,
communications or even the ability to exhibit due diligence of the
limited oversight they currently
have, Mathews tore into the
Warren County Board of Supervisors in announcing her board’s
full support of the pending move
toward county authority over a
merely advisory social services
board, effective Jan. 1.
“It is my understanding that tonight you will be voting to advertise for a public hearing whether
or not to convert the Board of Social Services to an advisory board.
I, as well as each of the volunteers
of our board, Jean Kresge, Lillian Sloane, and Cheryl Ramos,
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Voting rights recently restored, county critic William
Pierceall reacts to WCDSS Board Chair Prudence
Mathews recommendation the supervisors go ahead
and take over DSS oversight, by perhaps seeking a
seat in the front row of the county political sphere.
are in full support of converting
the board to simply an advisory
board. We gladly turn it over to
you because, as we see it, it’s your
turn to feel the pain.”
The pain Mathews described
was a nearly half decade long departmental scrutiny from a handful of social services critics that
she sees as personal, obsessive,
self-serving and driven by one
media outlet.
“It’s your turn to have slurs of
race and prejudice thrown upon
you; it’s your turn to be slandered; it’s your turn to have your
family members photographed,
followed and verbally attacked;
it’s your turn to have facts twisted
and lies reported. Yes, we all freely and willingly turn this over to
you,” Mathews said of her board’s
decision to propel the advisory
role forward on New Year’s Day.
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“We know the votes are there.
Even before you gave us the opportunity to respond to the
$10,000-plus dollar [Springsted]
study, you shut the door in our
face,” Mathews said of the move
spearheaded by North River Supervisor Glenn White to strip
decision-making authority from
a board he publicly called “dysfunctional” and whose operations he stated bordered on “malfeasance.”
Mathews has previously criticized White for his public admission that his appraisal of the DSS
board is based on the opinion of
approximately a dozen critics, as
well as newspaper reports. – “Social services is the only place I
hear all this noise,” White recently told us in explaining his nega-
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Social Services
tive perception of the county social services department and its
administrative board.
Deaf ears?
Mathews reminded the supervisors of her February appearance before them when she presented a hard copy pile of the
voluminous e-mails circulated by
board critic William Pierceall and
asked for support in the face of
criticism she worried over as not
only obsessive, racially-tinged
and spotted with violent rhetoric
aimed not just at her board, King
and his department, but also the
county government as a whole.
“When I appeared before this
board in February … I shared
with you the assault and personal attacks that our director,
our board members and I had
been under for over five years by
a very small group. I appealed to
you, as an elected body, the most
powerful leaders in our community, for help,” Mathews told the
supervisors. “I pleaded with you
to put your faith and trust in our
department, our director, our
employees and our dedicated and
loyal board members. I asked you
to stand with us, and support us
in our effort to rise above the plateau that Mr. Pierceall and others had conspired for their own
personal reasons. I further said it
is time for you to put yourselves
in our shoes and think how you
would like to be on the receiving
end of what we have been experiencing since 2004.
“But we wish you much luck and
hope you realize what is in store
for you. When the heat is turned
up, just remember you asked for
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“But we wish you much luck and hope you realize what is in store for you. When the heat is turned up, just
remember you asked for it…The workings of the political arena that has been invented here can now be
handled by those who allowed it to happen, you.” – DSS Board Chair to WC supervisors
here can now be handled by
those who allowed it to happen,
you, the board of supervisors,”
Mathews said in a less than fond
appraisal of the coming change in
local oversight of the county social services department.
Minority rule?
“Shamefully, this board of supervisors as a whole is so afraid of
standing up to Mr. Pierceall, Ms.
Selover, Ms. McClosky and Ben
Orcutt that you just couldn’t muster up the courage you needed to
properly support our volunteer
board,” Mathews said raising the
specter of press coverage of the
trio of critics at the forefront of
three to five years of voluminous,
and to this point unsubstantiated
allegations of criminal behavior,
departmental negligence and unjustified personnel practices at
the county social services department.
Noting past investigations
based on the litany of allegations pressed by those handful
of DSS critics, Mathews berated
the supervisors for failing to offer support, “even after we have
been fully and completely vindicated by a special grand jury, the
Virginia Department of Social
Services, the Springsted Study,
and honestly in my heart, God
Almighty Himself.”
Mathews singled out White, her
board’s most vocal critic among
the supervisors, for specific criticism.
“Mr. White, who had the
most derogatory remarks to
say about the Warren County
Department of Social Services
Board, but who never, ever came
to a meeting; who never contacted me; or never contacted our
director. But Mr. White had the
Shawn McClosky berates the women behind him, from
left, Lillian Sloane, Jean Kresge, Prudence Mathews
and Cheryl Ramos, for their performance as WCDSS
Board members, including perhaps their support of
his wife’s 2007 firing by WCDSS Director Ron King.
gall to convey through the Northern Virginia Daily that our board
was ‘dysfunctional’, that I made
‘bizarre comments’, and that our
board actions bordered on ‘malfeasance.’ ”
After years of what she sees
as personally tinged criticism
aimed her board’s way, Mathews
then got personal – “Malfeasance
– isn’t the meaning of the word
basically evil? Mr. White, do you
think we are evil? You are a member of my church; I am very disappointed and surprised at you.”
What’s next?
Mathews also contended White
and his fellow supervisors may
be in for a surprise if they believe
White’s contention that overseeing the county department of social services will require no more
effort than the supervisor’s oversight of the local airport commission and its advisory board.
“And Mr. White, the advisory
board, the least popular management structure in the state, will
still have to follow state statute.
– And no, it’s not like the local
airport as you suggested at the
work session,” Mathews said near
the conclusion of her remarks
during the Public Presentations
portion of the supervisors’ Nov.
17 meeting.
“We will meet on Nov. 19,
and on Dec.17, to conduct official business. Following that, we
would suggest you be prepared to
assume responsibility by adopting the advisory board procedure
effective Jan. 1, 2010.
Asked later if she, Ramos
and Sloane would resign when
Kresge’s term expired on Jan. 1,
Mathews said only, “No one resigned.”
Point not well taken
Asked for a reaction, White
said only, “Well, she’s entitled to
her opinion and my opinion is
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entirely different.”
Mathews singled out the supervisor’s current DSS board rep,
Linda Glavis, for knowingly or
unknowingly being an agent of
division upon the social services
board.
“There was never any real camaraderie,” Mathews said of Glavis’s two-year tenure on the DSS
board (succeeding Tony Carter).
“You simply used her to drive
the wedge. You, separately or together, but without a public vote,
instructed her to vote against me
for the position of chairperson at
the election of board officers. Of
interest, this action was not because I was not doing my job as
chair, nor because of problems in
the department; just for the simple reason that perhaps if I were
not chair, the three conspirators
might stop and go away. What
a great reason! – And shame on
you for setting her up,” Mathews
said of Glavis’s actions surrounding this year’s chairmanship recommendation and vote, which
further cast the South River Supervisor in a one-person minority on a board she was the new
kid on the block on.
Glavis declined comment on
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Mathew’s remarks.
Shifting targets
Of her other fellow board members, Mathews had high praise
for both their dedication and
perseverance in the face of years
of what she asserted was baseless
and unsubstantiated criticism.
“I speak for Jean Kresge, a lifelong resident of Warren County,
a retired bank vice president, who
has contributed time and effort
to so many community organizations and needs, as well as to her
church; for Lillian Sloane, a lifelong resident of Warren County,
a retired school teacher who continues to contribute to her community and who is a state leader
for her church; and for Cheryl
Ramos, a lifelong resident of
Warren County, who through her
job as a business manager at Valley Health, has for so many years
worked directly with WCDSS to
help those in need find the services they require.
“As for me, I have served the
WCDSS for a combined total of
over 20 years, long before some
members of your Board even
came to Warren County. There
have been many changes, all for
the better because this department had an Administrative
Board.
“I think it is very important that
you know that our decision is not
based on our inability to take the
harassment. We have proven we
could do it. We are not giving
in to the Pierceall-Selover-McClosky-White-Orcutt team. We
above all else want to take the
pressure off of the dedicated and
loyal employees; take them out of
the political arena and let them
do the work in their chosen field
Social Services
with the dedication required to
do social work.
“Lastly, words cannot express
how thankful I am to Jean, Lillian,
and Cheryl. You have withstood
much more than any volunteer
should. I also want to thank Ron
King, a good and honorable man,
a true public servant. And, members of the board, I wish you
much luck and hope you realize
what’s in store for you.
“As for our Administrative
board, no more meetings on the
third Thursday, no more [critic’s]
whispering, passing notes, taking
phone calls, interrupting meetings, walking around the room,
taking pictures, videotaping …
No sir, not us – now it’s you. You
can deal with the harassment and
the snide remarks and unfounded
comments made by the handful
or so of people that Mr. White refers to as his complainants, those
that you apparently fear.”
That handful, Pierceall, Selover,
McClosky, as well as McClosky’s
husband Shawn, were all present to hear Mathews’ remarks.
Shawn McClosky actually preceded Mathews to the podium
during the public comments. He
belittled and belabored the social services board that upheld
Director King’s 2007 firing of his
wife as they sat directly behind
him prior to Mathews’ remarks.
Shawn McClosky urged the supervisors to act on their coming agenda item stripping the
WCDSS Board of its authority,
unaware the object of his scorn
was about to agree with him. He
even drew some knowing smirks,
when he turned to gesture to
the four women seated behind
him, telling the supervisors the
DSS board members were likely
present “hat in hand” to request
a larger county contribution to
their next budget.
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Solar update
“Why is it when everybody else talks about the solar update it’s okay, when I
do it, it is off base?” “He’s telling you what he told everyone else before you
got here. – You were the one that came in late.” – testy work session exchange
between Tom Sayre and Mayor Eugene Tewalt
Is AMP-Ohio entering the solar mix?
Town’s existing energy supplier exploring solar investment in state
By Roger Bianchini
Near the outset of a solar update included in the agenda of the
Front Royal Town Council’s Nov.
16 work session, embattled Town
Manager Michael Graham reported town staff had become aware
that AMP-Ohio, with whom the
town has a long-term power purchase contract, is discussing a
solar power project in Danville,
Virginia. The fact the proposed
Danville project would produce 6
megawatts of solar power at a cost
of $29 million has led staff to explore redirecting the AMP-Ohio
energy alliance toward the solar
project under discussion here.
Recent public-private financing
options presented by a new private sector entity created out of
a merger of SolAVerde and Mid-
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dleburg-based TrueCast Capital,
Standard Energy, has proposed
a Phase One development of 9.2
megawatts exclusively for local
use in the town energy grid at a
total cost of $32 million. While
that cost, equaling almost $3.5
million per megawatt is considerably higher than the initial June
project cost estimate of $211
million to produce a total of 100
megawatts of solar power, or $2.1
million per megawatt, it is still
better than projected costs for the
Danville project.
TrueCast Capital Managing
Partner Steve Lamb estimated an
initial kilowatt cost of 9-cents to
the town versus average market
energy prices of 12 to 13 cents.
Graham said the numbers indicated the Danville project cost estimate at 11 to 12 cents per kilowatt hour.
“This solar thing continues to
move and appears to be more in
our favor,” Graham said. In the
wake of a fairly negative council
reaction to the private sector request the town put up an $18.2
million revenue bond issue to
help fund the $32 million Phase
One project, the town manager
added that Lamb and his private
sector partners are continuing to
explore alternate financing options that wouldn’t involve mu-
nicipal funding.
Lamb and Willi Lauterbach
have asserted that the requested
municipal bond is simply diverting payments the town would be
making for higher cost energy
over the length of a 14-year energy purchase agreement with Standard Energy into a pre-payment
bond issue. However, the initial
council reaction has been divided
and at least partially – Holloway,
Sayre – hostile.
Mayor Eugene Tewalt continued to express a measured concern over an $18-million town
solar bond issue, pre-payment or
not, during the work session.
“I want to know how our other
bond issues would be affected,”
Tewalt said. The town is anticipating a $30 to $40-million bond
issue on mandated improvements
to its wastewater treatment plant
in the next year or so. Later in the
work session, Town Finance Director Kim Gilkey-Breeden told
council the town currently as an
outstanding $12.97 million bond
debt, and a current debt limit of
$163 million based on assessed
town tax values.
“Things are changing by the
minute – and nothing is too ridiculous [to consider], except maybe
my financing it myself,” Tom Conkey observed of the ever-changing solar landscape. The remark
temporarily lightened the mood
at a sometimes contentious work
session solar discussion.
Tom Sayre, who arrived about
10 minutes after the solar discussion began, urged caution. He
asked whether the town would
be responsible for its bond issue,
were the private sector partners
to experience future financial difficulty.
“If this company starts failing,
we might have to take a second
bond issue to keep this thing
afloat,” Sayre reasoned.
Staff responded that were the
private sector to fail, they would
owe the town either the remaining 14 years of power or the balance of the “unspent” $18 million
pre-payment. Previous council
discussion has revolved around
the potential of the town going
it alone in solar power development, or taking over the solar
operation, were the private sec-
tor to fail. Such potentialities led
Conkey to reassert his contention
that if approached carefully, the
town’s ultimate risk of financial
loss is minimal. – “If you build a
house and the company that built
it fails, you still have the house – I
think that is an appropriate analogy,” Conkey said.
Of the town’s potential bond
obligation, Gilkey-Breeden observed dryly, “If the sun were to
disappear and solar went away,
we are still responsible for paying
the bond issue.”
Sayre disagreed with calling the
town’s potential risk low.
Mayor Tewalt attempted to redirect the conversation toward
when to schedule a finance committee meeting on the solar project, which was where the discussion was when Sayre arrived.
“That’s not what we were talking about now – do we meet
Wednesday?” Tewalt asked.
After initially agreeing to “be
quiet,” Sayre bristled when he interpreted the ongoing questions
of others being answered. – “Why
is it when everybody else talks
about the solar update it’s okay,
when I do it, it is off base?”
“He’s telling you what he told
everyone else before you got here.
– You were the one that came in
late,” Tewalt answered sharply.
“You’re on the finance committee, do you want to meet Wednesday?” Tewalt asked Sayre.
“I have questions that are not
being answered,” Sayre reiterated.
The conversation further deteriorated as the advisability of full
council participation versus only
the finance committee members
and staff on the solar update in
the wake of several councilmen
going back and forth on their
availability through the coming
week.
“Just forget the whole thing,” a
clearly frustrated mayor finally
replied of a Nov. 18 finance committee meeting. Indications were
the meeting would be re-scheduled the following week … unless
of course the entire town staff is
fired or quits (see related story on
town manager’s contract).
A solar update is also scheduled
for the potentially exciting Nov.
23 council meeting.
[email protected]
Warren
County Report
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(540) 635-4835
[email protected]
Reporter:
Lorie Showalter
[email protected]
National & Agency Advertising:
Dan McDermott
(540) 636-1014
[email protected]
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Contributors:
Paula Conrow, Features Writer
Tony Elar, Cartoonist Extraordinaire
Kevin S. Engle, Humor Columnist
Leslie Fiddler, Writer
Viviane Knight, Health Writer
Ryan Koch, Cartoonist Extraordinaire
Jim Smithlin, Writer
Mary Ellen South, Poet
Timothy R. Thompson, Writer
Matt Swain, Business Writer
Transcriptionist:
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If you are interested in contributing
articles to our paper, please e-mail:
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Early December, 2009 • Warren County Report • Page “This whole thing against Tom Conkey, to me, is a sign of desperation by those out to
get Mike (Graham). It is elements of the old guard reacting to a loss of power and using
members of this council for their own purposes.” – Vice Mayor Bret Hrbek
River City politics
Holloway tossing municipal ‘bomb’ at town manager
Three councilmen toss them back prior to expected Nov. 23 showdown
Vice Mayor Bret Hrbek, left, perhaps wonders what
Chris Holloway and Tom Sayre find so amusing at recent council budget work session during which Town
Manager Michael Graham described a bleak economic climate.
By Roger Bianchini
This is no threat – Front Royal
Town Councilman Chris Holloway wants to blow Town Manager J. Michael Graham out of
office. Comments from several
councilmen indicate an expectation that a Nov. 9 move spearheaded by Holloway to oust the
Front Royal town manager will
be publicly revisited at tonight’s
(Nov. 23) 7 p.m. meeting at the
Warren County Government
Center.
In our last issue we reported
on a potential “coup” attempt in
town government with Holloway’s unexpected Nov. 9 motion
to add a closed session review
of the job performance of Town
‘I know what you mean, Bret!’ As the vice mayor acts out, is Mayor Eugene Tewalt,
left, suppressing an urge to strangle someone as well?
Manager J. Michael Graham to a
scheduled Closed Session. Such a
late addition to any portion of a
regular council meeting agenda
requires a unanimous council
vote – which was gotten, sort of.
Vice Mayor Bret Hrbek had alerted his colleagues he would miss
the Nov. 9 meeting due to conflicting business obligations, and
Tom Sayre had yet to arrive at the
meeting. Sayre came in about 15
minutes later due to what he said
was a lengthy trial in a case he
was involved in as a practicing at-
torney (I guess 4-0 on a 6-member board is a unanimous vote by
some standards).
While no public action resulted
from that closed session, what
occurred within it exploded publicly five days later as Hrbek reacted strongly in the local daily
media to what he saw as an attempt to circumvent full council
participation on a personnel matter with grave implications for
town government.
“Why is this happening now?”
Hrbek said in response to a Nov.
21st question, “Because I wasn’t
there on Monday night (Nov. 9).
Not that it’s about me, but I think
they thought they had the votes
in my absence to get rid of Mike.
I think if I had not raised the issue
of the closed session vote it may
not have been revisited this Monday – I probably escalated it,” the
vice mayor admitted of his media
comments.
According to Councilman Shae
Parker, a student of the nuances
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“All this going behind the barn to accomplish something is not the way it should be
done. I think this is all being done to drive a wedge between council, staff and the
mayor.” – Mayor Eugene Tewalt on efforts to oust the town manager
River City politics
of municipal procedures, Graham could have been ousted by
a simple majority 3-2 vote had
a closed session straw pole, or
the “vote” referenced by Hrbek,
showed the votes necessary to
terminate Graham in open session Nov. 9.
Despite accepting responsibility for a potential escalation of the
issue, Hrbek remains adamant
that what was attempted on Nov.
9 and continues to be on the table
for a portion of council (Holloway, Sayre, Lauder) is counterproductive to the management of
the town government.
“Unless it affects employment,
people begin quitting, or services
stop being provided I don’t believe
this kind of action is required or
advisable,” the vice mayor told
us. Hrbek said he believed supporters of the town manager’s
ouster were “exaggerating” a potential staff crisis. – “[She] is not
resigning,” Hrbek stated flatly in
response to a probing question
about potential staff resignations
alleged as a result of Graham’s
management style.
son, Chris and Tom [Conkey] (or
Shae Parker) weren’t on the council that hired Mike,” Hrbek said.
“A decision was made to bring
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agreed. Middle of Main Emporium owner Tom Eschelman told
us when the stories broke about a
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Page 10 • Warren County Report • Early December, 2009
River City politics
council attempt to oust Graham,
he called one of the councilmen
cited as a supporter of the move,
Carson Lauder.
“I said, ‘Carson, what is going
on? I don’t know what’s going on
in town hall but I think Mike has
done a good job for downtown
business and I hope you’re not
jumping the gun on something
like this,’ ” Eschelman said.
In response to a call, on Nov. 22
Lauder issued a brief statement
on the situation. – “Staff morale
is very low and will get worse until this is resolved.” He refused to
elaborate on the implications of
his statement regarding a possible Monday vote on terminating Graham’s contract. However,
Lauder did acknowledge the
point made by Graham’s council
supporters on the implications of
losing the town manager at such
a crucial juncture in time.
Mayor Eugene Tewalt concurred that not only is the timing
for such a far-reaching personnel
move bad, but also asserted his
believe that much of the information being circulated about staff
turmoil created by Graham is exaggerated.
“I think the staff is fine. I think
all that about resignations and
what not is a ploy between those
out to get Mike,” the mayor said.
Tewalt added his belief that
Lauder may have bought into
that “turmoil” notion based on
“There were two bold-faced lies in the paper today about me attributed to a fellow councilman.
– I never gave my blessing to terms of a resignation to be drafted by the town attorney and I did
not change my mind at the last minute about signing it.” – Shae Parker on Nov. 21
limited input from councilmen,
or even staff members, with their
own personal agendas.
“All this going behind the barn
to accomplish something is not
the way it should be done,” the
mayor said of newspaper leaks
or sudden agenda additions seeking a closed-door majority to remove the town manager without
full council participation. “I think
this is all being done to drive a
wedge between council, staff and
the mayor.”
Tewalt said that should a public
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Early December, 2009 • Warren County Report • Page 11
Ivy Lodge
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River City politics
vote on Graham’s contract end in
a 3-3 tie, “I’ll definitely vote for
Mike.”
The 54-year-old Graham, a native of Front Royal, returned to
his hometown from the private
Santa Claus
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Santa will be located in
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411 South Street, 540-631-1177
sector and Atlanta, Georgia, to
take the town manager’s position
three years ago. Mayor Tewalt
and council, at least a portion of
it, recently congratulated Graham on the third anniversary of
his municipal tenure here, as of
Oct. 16.
Holloway: that’s long enough
Though he was reluctant to go
Santa will arrive
Dec 4th, 6pm on
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on the record on specifics during
a Nov. 20 conversation, Holloway
verified he believes it is time for
Graham to go. But the councilman, who has admitted to some
youthful indiscretions and resultant legal trouble as a teenager
regarding the calling in of bomb
threats to both Warren County
High School and The Melting Pot
Restaurant, isn’t simply lobbing
threats the town manager’s way.
Front Royal Kiwanis Club
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Saturday, December 5, 2009, 6am - 3pm
E. Wilson Morrison Elementary
40 Crescent St., Front Royal
Tickets in Advance $4
Tickets available at the following locations:
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Tickets at the door $5
5 and under free with paid adult.
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As a first-term councilman Holloway said he is dead serious in
his belief Graham’s management
of the town government is dysfunctional. He verified his own
questions concerning Graham’s
truthfulness and management
style. He also said he had asked
Town Attorney Tom Robinett to
prepare a request that Graham
alter his severance package, significantly reducing the town’s
payment liability from 11 months
to six, if Graham would resign,
rather than face termination.
In a Nov. 21 article published in
the Northern Virginia Daily, Holloway was attributed as stating
the town manager’s new severance agreement he had the town
attorney prepare had “the blessing” of fellow councilmen Carson Lauder, Tom Sayre and Shae
Parker.
Parker: ‘Wrong & deceitful’
However, Parker says Holloway misrepresented his stance
on Graham’s termination in the
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River City politics
‘Go to the light!’ - Town Manager Michael Graham
may have been trying a little, whiteboard hoodoo to
reign in councilmen focused on recent move to fire
him during Nov. 16 budget work session.
NVD story.
“There were two bold-faced
lies in the paper today about me
attributed to a fellow councilman,” Parker said on Nov. 21. “I
never gave my blessing to terms
of a resignation to be drafted by
the town attorney and I did not
change my mind at the last minute about signing it.”
Rather, Parker said Holloway
informed him about the town
attorney’s preparation of such
a document. – “I was aware of
it but never signed off on it, requested it be drafted, nor agreed
to sign it. I did concede that I
would consider it,” Parker said.
Parker said Robinett informed
him on Thursday, Nov. 19, that
the document had been drafted.
He received a copy of it in the
mail Saturday, Nov. 21, after he
had seen Holloway’s newspaper
remarks about his role in the
sequence of events surrounding
that document.
“By the time I saw it, I didn’t
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want to see it,” a clearly perturbed Parker told us. “Then I
noticed there were only spaces
for four signatures on the document when I received it. I find
that wrong, underhanded and
deceitful,” he added, citing his
belief he still served on a 6-person council at whose collective
behest staff, including the town
attorney, works.
“It is improper – and you can
quote me on that,” Mayor Tewalt
added in response to a question about Parker’s allegation of
impropriety by staff in gearing
a unilaterally sought termination agreement for another staff
member to a perceived supportive portion of council only.
Reality TV?
Perhaps ironically in the wake
of his preparation of the foursignature-line termination agreement for the town manager, Town
Attorney Tom Robinett’s annual
performance evaluation is slated
for closed session council discussion the evening of Nov. 23, as
well … You just can’t make this
stuff up – it’s better, and scarier
since it’s really real, than “Reality
TV” ever was.
Could he explain Holloway’s
misrepresentation of his stance
on Graham’s continued employment, we asked Parker.
“I was politically naïve at first
when I came on council. At first
I thought the answer might be to
clean house, including the town
manager,” Parker said of the implication of the 2008 seating of a
new four-person council majority (Parker had finished a close
fourth for three council seats
available in the May election in
which Holloway, Lauder and
Conkey replaced three councilmen who did not seek reelection
– Brooks, Darr, Grady. Parker was
appointed in August 2008 to fill
the council seat vacated by newly
elected Mayor Eugene Tewalt).
“In more recent conversations
with Chris and others I told them
I was on the fence – I wasn’t sure
how I’d vote.
“After weighing all the pros and
cons through a long, sleepless
night Wednesday and Thursday
(Nov. 18-19), I decided that for
a lack of evidence for grounds
for dismissal that this was not
in the best interest of the town
or the community at this time.
We have too much on the table
right now, too much that could
be put in jeopardy. My job is to
represent the best interest of the
town and that’s what I have tried
to do,” Parker said of his decision
on Graham’s contract.
Another first term councilman,
Tom Conkey, agreed with Parker’s
assessment of the implications of
terminating the town manager’s
contract at this point in time.
“If we do something precipitous the town would be in dire
straights,” Conkey said of the potential loss of the town manager.
“We have the railroad (Norfolk
Southern Crescent Corridor) request, the Front Royal Limited
Partnership rezoning request in
Happy Creek, the solar project
and AMP-Ohio all under scrutiny, not to mention the corridor
(meals tax/fee) suit still on the
table. We already lost one department head unexpectedly (one
might note, that had Holloway’s
Nov. 9 initiative succeeded, Front
Royal would have lost two top
departmental heads within two
working days – Planning Director Andrew Conlon resigned unexpectedly on Nov. 6 in the wake
of a non-criminal, police incident
report being filed earlier that
same day). To lose the town manager right now would be beyond
painful,” Conkey said.
“We all have our strengths and
weaknesses – I have expressed
concerns with the town manager.
But if we look at results, it’s spectacular. I think what you’re going
to see are a lot of folks stand up
and say you can’t fire Mr. Graham because the town is looking
so good and doing so well right
now,” Conkey said of expectations for the Nov. 23 meeting.
The B&B blues
Conkey also reacted harshly to
a story published concurrently
with the account of Holloway’s
effort to remove Graham in the
Daily on Nov. 21. In that story,
both Holloway and Tom Sayre
are quoted as expressing varying
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“By the time I saw it, I didn’t want to see it. Then I noticed there were only spaces for four signatures on the document when I received it on Saturday in the mail. I find that wrong, underhanded
and deceitful.” – Shae Parker on staff preparation of town manager termination document
Killahevlin B&B proprietor and Councilman Tom Conkey, foreground, is less than amused by media allegations by fellow councilman that he has flirted with
ethics violations over weekday business traveler discounts offered to solar project principals, as well as
anyone else.
degrees of shock and/or outrage
due to Conkey’s offer of a businessman’s discount to SolAVerde
principal Willi Lauterbach and
business associates at Conkey’s
Killahevlin Bed & Breakfast, at
1401 N. Royal Ave.
“As far as Willi and his people
staying here, this is what we do –
we offer midweek business traveler discounts. It is a slow time
for us, so if we can fill a room
during the week for less than our
weekend price, so much the better for us,” Conkey said. He added
that his website www.vairish.com
posted the discount offer, which
is no different than has been extended to all business travelers
passing through town, including
some associated with UVA, VCU
and Christendom College, among
others.
Conkey said he had spoken to
an acquaintance, local attorney
Elizabeth Molchany about the
conflict issue. “She said ‘if you
were a store owner and he (Lauterbach) came in, would you not
sell to him because you’re on the
town council? – It’s the same
thing.’ I don’t see the issue,” Conkey stated.
Front Royal’s mayor agreed.
“I don’t see anything wrong
with what Conkey did,” Mayor
Tewalt said of the mid-week room
discount being made available to
private sector solar project personnel. “It’s something he offers
to all his business customers.”
Conkey confirmed that Holloway was present when he discussed the mid-week room rate
with Lauterbach at Killahevlin,
perhaps three months prior to
the Nov. 21st newspaper article
citing both Holloway and Sayre’s
alarm and concern about such a
transaction.
“This whole thing against Tom
Conkey, to me, is a sign of desperation by those out to get Mike
(Graham),” Vice Mayor Hrbek
said. “It is elements of the old
guard reacting to a loss of power
and using members of this council for their own purposes. – It is
so trivial and petty. If that is what
matters most to you, I feel sorry
for you,” Hrbek said of those “old
guard” elements he sees at play
in the current controversies over
the town manager and Conkey’s
alleged solar project conflict.
“Sure, absolutely – they are trying to discredit me,” Conkey said
of the NVD “conflict” story. “I
don’t think they’ll be successful –
there’s not anything there. I think
they are trying to get me to back
off my support of Mike. I had a
conversation with Chris (Holloway) and he told me he did not
leak that (conflict story) and I’ll
take him at his word. Maybe the
source is looking to deflect something from themselves,” Conkey
added.
Following our Nov. 21st conversations with Conkey and
Parker, neither Holloway nor
Sayre could be reached prior to
deadline for further comment or
response on the entire situation
swirling around efforts to terminate Graham. Sayre has recently
been under criticism and/or
scrutiny for initially undisclosed
conflict implications regarding
a Front Royal Limited Partnership rezoning request proffer for
Leach’s Run Parkway. The longdiscussed north-south connector
road could run through Sayre’s
family home property, or conceivably even through his home
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River City politics
itself if one, old engineering plan
were followed. Sayre’s initial conflict inquiry to Commonwealth
Attorney Brian Madden on the
FRLP rezoning, referenced an
east-west connector road running parallel to his property, but
did not mention the Leach’s Run
aspect of the developer’s proffers.
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Winter Coat ~
Sweater Drive
The Linden Rotary Club in partnership with
Turner-Robertshaw Funeral Home is conducting
a winter coat / sweater drive to benefit C-CAP
of Front Royal. Bring your gently used or new
coat or sweater to Turner-Robertshaw Funeral
Home, 1200 N. Shenandoah Ave., Front Royal
Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm or
Jean’s Jewelers, 407 E. Main St., Front Royal
Monday through Thursday 9-5, Friday 9-6 and
Saturday 9-5 or contact any Linden Rotary Club
member to accept your donation. The drive
continues through December 9, 2009.
Thank you for your generous support of this
worthwhile endeavor.
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1200 N. Shenandoah Avenue
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Phone: (540) 635-4186 – Fax: (540) 635-5355
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Future vision
Optimism in wake of joint planning meeting
Planners eyeball Happy Creek area for urban development designation
Let’s get together and figure this thing out - but we
don’t have the authority, just some notions. County,
foreground, and town planing commissions and staff
ponder the future of growth in the community over
the next 20 years.
By Roger Bianchini
On Nov. 19, the Town of Front
Royal and Warren County Planning Commissions and staffs
gathered for a little “let’s get together” work session aimed at
heightened communications and
coordination as both entities plow
their ways toward the future and
what that future holds in store.
“The good news for the town
and county is that growth has
slowed so we can catch our
breaths and get in step before the
next wave comes,” County Planning Chairman Mark Bower said
near the meeting’s outset.
And while it is true that the recession and ongoing downturn
in the housing market have given
municipal planners a little breathing room from grappling with
2,000-unit housing requests and
3-percent annual growth caps,
that next wave Bower referenced
is always just around the corner.
In fact, the current Front Royal
Limited Partnership rezoning re-
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quest seeking an increase from a
by-right maximum of 99, to 320
residential units on 149 acres of
town land bordering another 700
or so vacant acres along the towncounty line off Happy Creek Road
has been referenced as a pivotal
moment in the planning future of
both municipalities.
And that rezoning proposal was
a major point of discussion as the
two planning commissions pondered how to approach new state
guidelines on the implementation
of “Urban Development Areas.”
As revisited by town and county
planning staffs, the UDA’s are a
state effort to focus future growth
around existing municipal development and central utilities.
County Planning Commissioner, the ever-suspicious Harry
Krum, worried that the state was
taking local decision-making authority away from the municipalities most directly impacted
by that growth. However, both
County Administrator Doug
Stanley and County Attorney
Blair Mitchell addressed the upside of the state plan.
“What they are doing is trying
to focus growth where existing
utilities and development already
exist in order to protect the farmland throughout the counties,”
Stanley pointed out. “The tough
part is, if you live next door to
where that development occurs,
you might not be too happy,”
Stanley commented, with a nod
to two Happy Creek area residents, Eva Challis and Ramona
Bowden.
As the discussion proceed to
where and when such UDA’s
might be placed as state timelines
for enacting the new legislation
approach, the northside where
town utilities have been extended
to facilitate commercial and industrial development was mentioned, as was the Happy CreekLeach’s Run area where the FRLP
project is located.
Stanley referenced what is being
termed a “new urbanism” resulting from the designation of urban
development areas. “It’s viewed
as a place where people can live,
work and play – kind of the way it
used to be before cars …” he said.
Mitchell pointed out only here-
tofore unplatted land can be designated as UDA’s. “We need town
cooperation to provide water
and sewer,” Mitchell pointed out
of UDA’s designated on county
land.
In response to a question about
Front Royal being exempted
from UDA statutes due to its
size, Mitchell explained, “That’s
correct. The county must adopt
[UDA’s] by July 1, 2011. The town
doesn’t have to at all.”
Citing a past impasse between
the town and county over the extension of central water and sewer across the Shenandoah River to
Catlett Mountain, Krum pointed
out, “The last time we asked for
water and sewer the town didn’t
answer us for nine months.”
“That is why cooperation is important,” Mitchell pointed out.
“I don’t think the town wants to
force the county to go into the
water business – which is an alternative to cooperation.”
“My point is, if we do it (designate UDA’s), the town annex it –
we don’t have one garbage truck
in the county,” Krum pointed out
of the town’s ability to provide
the type of services the county
lacks to high-density areas typical of towns and cities.
Town Planning Commissioner
Glenn Wood pointed to the ongoing negotiation on the FRLP
project and stated that the town
planners agreed in principal, that
All I Wanted to Know
By Kevin S. Engle
“If you’d like to pay off your loan, press
22. If you’d like to refinance, press 23.
If you’d like the main menu, press 99.”
“Customer service,” I said through
clenched teeth, annoyed and frustrated that I’d been listening to these
##$%%@# voice prompts for the past
five minutes and was still no closer to
where I wanted to be.
All I wanted to know was when my
new payment booklet would be in the
mail.
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand that request. Let’s start over. If you’d like to”
I couldn’t take it anymore. “Customer
service!” I yelled, ready to fight this stupid answering system.
“Please hold while your call is transferred.”
“Finally,” I said as sweat pored down
my face and arms. When I get agitated,
I sweat. I was agitated.
According to the letter I received last
week, my mortgage was being transferred from one of the bank’s subsidiaries to another. It was almost time for
my next payment and I thought the new
coupon booklet would be here by now.
“Hi, I’m Ms. Randolph,” came the
cheery voice on the other end of the
phone, “how can I help you?”
“Thank goodness. A real human being,” I muttered. “All I want to know is
when I’ll receive my new payment book
in the mail. That’s it.”
“Sure, I can help you with that. Let
me get some information first.”
After giving her my address, phone
number, account number, blood type,
what I was buying my wife for Christmas and the secret ingredients to Coca
Cola, she found what she needed.
“I see your wife is the primary account
holder on the mortgage. May I speak
with her?”
The question struck fear in my heart.
I knew where this conversation was going.
“No, she’s not here.”
Maybe, just maybe, she’d still answer
my question. After all, all I wanted to
know was when my payment book
would arrive.
“I’m sorry Mr. Engle, but I can’t discuss the account with you.”
“Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”
My hopes for success were quickly
extinguished, like a fire hose dousing a
candle. There wasn’t a chance in hell
Ms. Randolph was going to tell me anything.
But I pleaded my case anyway.
“Doesn’t it count that I’m the one who
signs the check every month?”
“We appreciate that very much Mr.
Engle, but because of privacy concerns,
I’m not allowed to discuss this account
with anyone but Mrs. Engle.”
Twenty-one minutes and thirty-nine
seconds after dialing, I hung up in disgust, still without an answer to my simple question. And all I wanted to know
…
Oh screw it.
The author has a question about his car
loan too. Maybe his wife should make
that call.
- [email protected]
“Sometimes it seems as if [council] walks up to the cliff, then walks back away, then walks back up, then
walks back away. One of these days they’re going to walk up to that cliff and jump off. – But what [direction]
they decide, we don’t know yet.” – Town PC Chair David Gushee on development decisions
County Planning Commissioner Harry Krum, right,
was adamant that if it’s going to be a town-like neighborhood with central utilities, it should be a part of
the town. Krum’s fellow county commissioner Tory
Failmezger, paper in hand, ponders this thought as
County Building Official Dave Beahm listens.
the Happy Creek area largely
owned by FRLP – 750 acres in
the town and county, with another 70 acres owned by Millennium
Lotus – was a logical candidate
for Urban Development Area
designation. – “If there was a
joint agreement on annexation of
that area, we could focus growth
there,” Woods said.
County staff pointed out that
approximately 900 undeveloped,
unplatted acres in that area on
both sides of Happy Creek Road
could likely accommodate the
next 20 years of growth in the
community, even were the housing market to rebound and the
Bridal Expo
historical county top-end, 3-percent growth rate revisited.
“This points to why we need
ongoing dialogue,” Town Planning Commission Chairman David Gushee stated. Gushee revisited past statements on the town
planners’ dilemma in dealing with
the FRLP proposal, which is illegal by current town zoning codes
for the area. – “It was beyond our
competence to solve. We sent it
to the town council, who has control of the money and the means
to work toward a solution with
the developer, and I understand
they are.
“Sometimes it seems as if
[council] walks up to the cliff,
then walks back, then walks back
up, then walks back away. One of
these days they’re going to walk
up to that cliff and jump off. – But
[which direction] they decide to
jump, we don’t know yet,” Gushee
concluded with a metaphorical
flourish that no one could top.
However, before Gushee suggested adjournment after stating
that all the base factual aspects
the meeting had been designed
to cover had been exhausted, his
fellow town commissioner Sandra Charles seemed to express
the hope of all present. Charles
called the discussion “exciting”
and expressed the hope a joint
planning consensus could be
achieved that could direct the
town and county’s elected boards
on exactly which way they should
finally jump off that decisionmaking cliff.
For one thing is sure – in 20
years this community will not
look like it does today. At issue
is will it feature a cookie-cutter pattern of one acre or larger
Future vision
lots, with individual wells sucking an already troubled groundwater shed dry; or will it feature
a clustered “new urbanism” design aimed at localizing the life of
those new communities in an essentially self-supporting, central
utility, business and recreationally supplied community?
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And what did he get out of completing the USMC Marathon? – “Well, I lost
10 pounds, dropped two inches around the waist … and I picked up that Tshirt!” Powers smiled.
Community
A ‘Power-ful’ Marine Marathon run – sort of …
What the heck?! – Bill Powers decides to go the distance in D.C.
By Malcolm Barr, Sr.
Talk about “the loneliness of the
long distance runner” and talk
about Bill Powers, family man,
businessman, veteran, huntsman,
and possibly the only competitor
in last month’s U.S. Marine Corps
marathon without a cheering gallery!
Why no fan club?
Because, until he arrived in
Washington, D.C. during the early morning hours of Oct. 28, noone – including himself – knew
he would run in this year’s popular 26-mile event. While he’d preentered along with thousands of
others last April, and had trained
long, but not particularly hard,
Bill really drove to Washington
to pick up his marathon T-shirt.
It was only after he arrived that
he decided he would run.
“I thought, ‘I can do this thing’
and, if it hurts (an injured Achilles tendon) then I’ll quit,” Bill said
in a post-race interview.
And “do this thing” he did, acquitting himself sufficiently well
to bring home a handsome medal
for finishing in a qualifying time
– 5 hours 22 minutes. In so doing, he became the oldest - at 53
- of a Front Royal contingent of
eight to qualify. Six local athletes
were ahead of him, one behind,
but as Bill noted more than once,
“they all were younger than me!”
Bill was one of 21,279 runners and his finishing place was
14,127. But, hey! There were over
7,000 behind him, so that wasn’t
bad for a guy who took a couple
of weeks off during training to go
hunt elk with a bow and arrow in
Colorado.
No question our State Farm
insurance rep was proud of his
achievement. No question he
was proud of his medal, as all the
Front Royal contingent should be
of theirs. But Bill’s a pretty understated guy, and he had to be asked
to show us his medallion which
he dug from a pocket at a recent
Rockland social.
Terry Leckie should have been
his “bud” in this run for the roses,
but Terry came up lame at the
last moment, and Bill decided to
go it alone when he got caught up
in the hoopla preceding the race.
This decision was made notwithstanding the fact that he’d
never before raced farther than
10 miles, and that was in college;
notwithstanding advice from at
least one doctor that his Achilles
tendon wouldn’t allow it.
But he credited another pal,
Michael Hofbauer of Front Royal, who finished just ahead of him
(well, even if it was by about an
hour) for helping him complete
the course.
Green Clean
“Mike advised me to run four
minutes, then walk for one minute, and it worked, even though
I had to walk the entire last four
miles,” Bill said, emphasizing that
he had enough energy to run
across the finish line.
Another who came in for credits was Michael Mitchell, physical
therapist at Valley Health in Front
Royal, who provided a training
program and a sometimes ignored schedule of training.
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How does it feel to compete in a
marathon?
“It hurts!” said Bill, whose wife,
Mary, and oldest daughter Becky,
waited at home, wondering.
“He didn’t tell us, he didn’t
phone us,” said Becky at the party.
So, now they know. A 26-mile
race for Bill Powers of Ashby Station Road, was a spur of the moment thing.
See Powers, 22
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Call Today to Schedule Your Free
In-Home Estimate!
(540) 869-3500
www.gregoryexterior.com
Simply Cedar Log Homes • Linden, VA • www.SimplyCedarLogs.com
For more information on beautiful, energyefficient cedar log homes call Simply Cedar
Log Homes at (540) 636-8400 or email us at
[email protected]
Expert Installation by Qualified Installers
P.O. Box 520
5368 Main St., Stephens City, VA 22655
Class A Contractor License #6389A
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& Beautify Your Home
(Qualifies for Energy Tax
Credit)
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Gregory’s, Inc. is a licensed and insured
exterior home improvement company
Replacement Windows
Double Hung, Sliding &
Casement Windows
Low-E Glass
Bay & Bow Windows
Vinyl & Aluminum Windows Available
SIMONTON
WINDOWS®
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Roofing
Siding
Windows
Awnings
Doors
Gutters
Screen Rooms
Glass Enclosures
Gutter Helmet
Angel’s Korner
Day Care and Learning Center
Call (540) 635-9787
Looking For A Great Rate On A New Car?
NOW ENROLLING INFANTS TO
2 1/2 YR-OLDS
NOW OPEN!
Our infant and toddler center at our
Commerce Ave. location
(next to Marlow Motors)
First Aid/CPR Certified
State Licensed
Developmental Curriculum
MAT Certified (Medication
Administration Trained)
Open 6am to 6pm
Also enrolling
2 - 4 yr-olds at our
Braxton Rd. location
and 5 - 12 yr-olds at
our Commerce Ave.
location
“Love Grows Here”
Established in Childcare since 1989 Serving our community for over 20 years
Front Royal Federal Credit Union has
the rate for you! 5.99% APR for 60 months
Borrow over $20,000 for 72 months Call Us Today!
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*Rate subject to change without notice.
Membership required. Qualifications
apply. If you borrow $20,000 at 5.99% APR
for 60 months, your approximate monthly
payment would be $386.74. APR =annual
percentage rate.
230 N. Royal Ave.
113 South Street
540-635-7133
www.frontroyalfcu.org
Federally Insured by NCUA
All-Star •
•
• Check Cashing•
~ Need A X-mas Gift Idea? ~
•VA Lottery Scratcher Tickets Make
Great Stocking Stuffers
• We Also Have Visa/Mastercard Gift Cards
That They Can Use Anywhere
Royal Plaza Shopping Center
Across From Martins
540-636-0002
Holiday
Shopping
Guide
Holiday
HOLIDAY Savings!
SAVINGS!
5-50%
OFF!
5-50%
5 - 50% !
OFF!
5 - 50% !
Bring This Ad In Thursday Thru
Sunday And Draw A Savings Card
126 Main Street, Historic Front Royal
From The Mixing Bowl!
BRING THIS AD IN THURSDAY THRU SUNDAY
and
DRAW A SAVINGS CARD FROM THE MIXING BOWL
Not valid with any other offers or coupons
EXPIRES DECEMBER 15, 2009
126 Main Street, Historic Front Royal
Not valid with any other offers or coupons EXPIRES DECEMBER 15, 2009
SALE
Receive $500 off w/coupon
for a nail or massage service of $20 or more
Nails by Shelley Harpine
Massage by Megan McDaniel
55% OFF plus an additional 25%
• 10 Genuine Persian Rugs • 8x10 to palace size • $1,000 (red tag only)
Semi-antique, antique & new
NO REASONABLE OFFER WILL BE REFUSED!
LARGEST SELECTION IN WINCHESTER AND SURROUNDING AREAS
Oriental Rug
Gallery
Open Monday-Saturday 10-6, Sunday 12-6
3349 Valley Pike (Rt.11) #1000
Winchester, VA 22601 • Phone 540-686-7169
Image
Makers
Full Service Hair & Nail Salon
540.635.4449
314 S. Royal Ave.
Listhús
GALLERY
CHRISTMAS
OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, December 12th, 5pm to 8pm
Featuring the whimsical art of James C. Christensen
GIFT IDEAS AT THE GALLERY
FREE
Ornaments, Pottery, Art Glass
PRINT,
“Jellyfish on a
Stick”, to our
first 40 guests,
plus a drawing
for a door prize.
Miche Bags and the New Covers
Holly Yashi and Local Beaders
Hand Painted Silk Scarves & Ties
Original Art and Fine Art Prints
Custom Framing
205-B East Main Street, Front Royal, 635-2458, www.listhusgallery.com
119 Chester Street, 540-622-2060
Heaven Sent Shoppe & Americana Signs once again presents....
The Sixth Annual Christkindlmarkt
Friday, Dec. 4th & Saturday, Dec. 5th
Village Commons on Main and Chester St.
Other activites feature: Music, stories, hot cider,
pottery, local artists and merchants.
Posh Pets- Fashion Comp. (bring photos to Heaven Sent)
And of course, Santa will be here!!
Photo opportunities for Santa and your pets!
Holiday Special for the Holidays!
3 for 2 Special
Shopping
ACCESS
Guide
Dry Cleaners
exp. 12/15/09
29 E. Jackson St.
540-631-9300
Eleventy-Seven
Toy Shop
529 Main St., Front Royal
635-1361
Christmas is coming
and we have just the toy you need!!
Come by and see today!!
Warren County Report &
The Sherando Times
Holiday Shopper and
Restaurant Guide
Advertise in your FREE local community publication
ADVERTISING THAT WORKS!
Southerlands Retirement Community
is happy to invite you to it’s inaugraul holiday
“Christmas Shoppe” to be held on
Saturday, December 5th , 2009
in the Dining Hall from 11am - 2pm
600 Mount View Street
Featuring:
“Bags n More” - Handbags,Wallets, and Totes
“Motives” - Cosmetics and Skin Care
“Little Sugar Naturals” - Handmade Soaps, Body Butters,
Lotions and Oils
“Jewelry” - Handmade
Also Available:
Homemade Sandwiches, Cookies, and Cupcakes
Come join us for a wonderful, no “hassle” shopping experience. We will
have a great selection of items to choose from for that special
“someone” on your list.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM “THE SOUTHERLANDS”
*all proceeds go to individual vendors
Christmas
Come See
Santa
10am. - 2pm.
Bring your camera
Open House
Saturday, Dec. 12th – 9am. - 2pm.
Receive 20% off
Your Floral Purchases
During Open House Only
(IN STORE MERCHANDISE)
refreshments, door prizes
Front Royal’s Fussell Florist
540-635-4193 • 540-635-1334
202 E. 2nd Street, Front Royal, VA
www.frontroyalfussellflorist.net
We wish you and your family joy and happiness throughout the year!
Special Holiday
Offer !!
2X3 COLOR
AD ONLY
$45.00
Alison
540-551-2072
Angie
540-683-9197
Brooke
540-428-9079
Through December
Ads must be prepaid. No other discounts apply!
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Tharpes Garage
& Towing Inc
24 Hour Towing
7 days a week
• 2 Tilt Bed Trucks • New/Used Parts
• We Tow Buses, RV’s. ect.
We Remove Junk Cars
635-7359 ~ after hours 635-8016
560 Kendrick Lane, Front Royal
Community
Powers, from 18
How did he get to there originally? Bill credit’s the Kiwanis
Club credo that encourages aims
and objectives. He said he and
Terry Leckie made completing a
marathon one of their personal
goals.
Bill, who has twice been the local Kiwanis club president, takes
this, and his dedication to community service, seriously. So did
his late dad, Billy Powers, one of
the original Front Royal Kiwanians from the 1930s. He’s proud
of his work with the annual
Downtown Front Royal Association Christmas parade, and also
I-66 & Rt 522
North of
Front Royal
mentions his active membership
of the Blandy Farms and Southern States boards of directors.
He has now retired from both
boards, however.
Born in Winchester, but raised
in Warren County, Bill is a 1978
graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in mechanical
engineering. Today, this makes
him the go-to guy for his neighbors and friends when they get
stuck on a household project.
Actually, his graduation while
a member of the UVA ROTC
was a natural step toward a career in the U.S. Navy. He took
early retirement with the rank of
lieutenant commander after 13
540.636.2901
Great Deals at
www.shenandoahford.com
2008 FOCUS S
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2007 FORD MUSTANG CONV
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years service, bringing a wife (a
so-called military brat) and two
children (the other is Amanda,
at Radford) back to Front Royal
about 18 years ago. The family lives on Ashby Station Road
in Rockland, within sight of the
old stone house where his father
was born, and possibly where his
grandfather and great grandfather lived.
His interest in distance running
goes back to his Warren County
High School days where he did
cross-country. He’s a long-time
member of the Shenandoah Runners and has been a recreational
runner most of his life. “I’m not
fast, but I rely on endurance,” he
said. He last won a race award
in the 2007 Blue Ridge Hospicesponsored 10K event - a medal
for first in his age group shortly
after turning 50.
And what did he get out of completing the USMC Marathon?
“Well, I lost 10 pounds, dropped
two inches around the waist …
and I picked up that T-shirt!”
Powers smiled.
McCoy’s
Cookie Jars
540-683-9197
S
FORECLOSURE
Former Church/DayCare
u
u
u
u
3 Buildings:
Church, office, house
0.54+/- acres
R-3 Zoning
FX6748
620-624 Virginia Ave, Front Royal, VA
Wed., Dec. 9 @ 11am
888-621-2110 www.tranzon.com
th
VAAF423
Eaton Motor Sales
Family-Owned Since 1971
Buy - Sell - Trade
In House Financing
Indictments
Frank Stanley Barr
COUNT ONE: On or about September 21, 2009, in the County
of Warren, Jeffrey Stephen Czarnecki, 31, of 61 Gardener Lane,
Front Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully and feloniously drive or
operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, this
being a third offense committed
within five years of two prior offenses.
COUNT TWO: On or about September 21, 2009, in the County of
Warren, Jeffrey Stephen Czarnecki, did unlawfully drive a motor vehicle on a highway while
his driver’s license or privilege to
drive a motor vehicle has been
suspended or revoked, this being a third or subsequent offense
within ten years.
The Warren County, VA Circuit
Court Grand Jury charges that on
or about August 19, 2009, in the
County of Warren, Frank Stanley
Barr, 73, of 1562 Fiery Run Rd.,
Linden, VA 22642, did unlawfully
and feloniously attempt to maliciously stab, cut or wound Timothy Joyce with the intent to maim,
disable, disfigure or kill Timothy
Joyce.
Scott V. Butler
2008 Honda Accord - 4cyl, Auto,
Power Locks, Power Windows, AM/
FM/CD
2008 Dodge Caliber - 4cyl, Auto, AM/
FM/CD
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche - V8,
Auto, Power Locks, Power Windows,
Leather, AM/FM/CD
2006 Ford F350 - Diesel, Auto, 4x4,
Dual Wheel, Power Locks, Power Windows, Leather, Sunroof, AM/FM/CD
Court Grand Jury charges that
on or about September 7, 2009,
in the County of Warren, Scott
V. Butler, 47, of 228 Cloud St.
Apt. A, Front Royal, VA 22630,
did unlawfully and feloniously
take, drive or use a motor vehicle,
having a value of $200 or more
and belonging to Juanita Britton,
without the consent of the owner,
with the intent to temporarily
deprive the owner of possession
thereof.
Vincent Howard Diggs Jr.
Court Grand Jury charges that:
COUNT ONE: On or about September 11, 2009, in the County of
Warren, Vincent Howard Diggs
Jr., 18, of 228 Cloud St. #2, Front
Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully
damage property having a value
Jeffrey Stephen Czarnecki
See Indictments, 27
Accidents & Personal Injury Law
Offices of Thomas H. Sayre
Civil & Criminal Trials
2007 Buick Lacrosse CX - 6cyl, Auto,
Power Locks, Power Windows, AM/
FM/CD
2007 Jeep Patriot, 4cyl, Auto, Power
Locks, Power Windows, Leather,
AM/FM/CD
38 Andrews Rd. • Front Royal, VA
Call Gary or Andrew: 540-635-3561
eatonmotorsales.com
The Cutting Edge
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633 N. Commerce Ave • Front Royal
540-635-2900 •
Parking in Rear
Concentrating
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Limeton, $158,900 Cute Brick Ranch, almost an acre, No
HOA, 2 bdr, 1 bath, unfin.bsmt, Sunroom, Den & Large LR,
fireplace. Great for first time buyers or retiree’s. Level lot
on state maintained rd. with paved driveway, carport with
Garage/workshop behind.
Call Sue Kinyon
510 N. Royal Ave
622-6353 office
683-1014 cell
Child Custody
Social Security Disability
Serious Auto Accidents
Wills & Deeds
540-636-7777
Telecopier: 540-636-3763
222 E. Main St. Front Royal, VA 22630
E-mail: [email protected] • www.sayrelawoffice.com
Licensed in VA & WV
Community
‘Retired’ Browntown journalist stays busy
Aumente back from Lithuanian speaking engagement
As if organizing fellow South
River District residents to lobby
local providers for high-speed
Internet service wasn’t work
enough in “retirement” – Jerome
“Jerry” Aumente has been on the
road again.
Aumente, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Special
Counselor to the Dean, School
of Communication and Information (SC&I), Rutgers, the State
University of New Jersey, recently completed a series of speaking engagements and media
consultations in Lithuania with
universities, journalists and nongovernmental organizations as a
guest of the American Embassy
in Vilnius under the U.S. State
Department Speakers Program.
Aumente focused on the Internet, newer media and health
journalism. He met with faculty
and administrators at Vilnius
University and Vytautus Magus
University in Kaunas and also
lectured to students. He has been
invited back to both universities
in 2010 as a visiting professor for
lectures and to assist with curriculum development, research and
plans for faculty and student ex-
changes with Rutgers SC&I and
other universities.
He gave presentations to journalists on newer media through
Transparency International of
Lithuania; to journalists, government and non-government agencies on health journalism with the
Foundation for Patients’ Safety,
Innovation and Quality Leadership; and on newer media trends
with editors from Internet media.
He met with the leadership of the
Lithuanian Journalists’ Union to
discuss nationwide media trends.
He was interviewed by “Verslo Zinios”, the economic daily
on global economic issues and
trends in newer media, and his
presentation at Vytautus Magus
university was video-recorded
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for its website. Programs were
held at universities, in the field
and at the American Embassy.
Aumente was founding chair
of the Journalism and Media
Studies department and founding director of the Journalism
Resources Institute, both units
in SC&I which he helped design.
He has been overseas nearly 200
times since 1989 for programs in
Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, Spain, Latin America , the
Caribbean and the Middle East.
He will travel to Thailand soon
for programs in environmental
health journalism.
(In part from a release)
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I dare to think that it’s still not too late to be the kind of nation in which differences are debated
honestly…and we move forward together as one people. I would like to see Christians contribute
to that kind of society, rather than to the demonization that undermines it at its foundations.
Opinion
Opinion:
A theology of common ground
By David P. Gushee
Something has changed in our
country since the time I was growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s.
It involves the disappearance of an
approach to public life in which
stark differences could be debated
without adversaries slipping into
the demonization of one another.
Of course, there have always
been Americans who demonized
those they disagreed with. But it
has not always been accepted as a
routine feature of American life.
My father worked in Washington at the Congressional Research
Service on energy and environmental policy during the late 60s
and early 70s. He would come
home and talk about how much
fun it was to help the Congress
hammer out that first round of
environmental legislation. He said
that he really admired how leaders
could clash strongly over one issue
but then work together on a different one. In those days Democrats
and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, could disagree without
turning each other into mortal enemies.
That’s what demonization is:
viewing those we disagree with
as if they are our mortal enemies,
the embodiment of evil. It involves
a profound loss of perspective on
the humanity of our opponents.
They stop being people just like us,
who happen to disagree with us on
something; they instead become a
kind of insidious demonic force let
loose in the world.
A number of factors seem to
Alison Duvall
Sales Representative
Cell: (540) 551-2072
[email protected]
Angie Buterakos
Sales Representative
Cell: (540) 683-9197
[email protected]
have contributed to a national
slide from civility to demonization
in the last 40 years. Redistricting
has given us more and more politicians who come from overwhelmingly “blue” or “red” districts and
who represent extreme views.
The voracious 24-hour news cycle
thrives on conflict and spectacle.
Cable TV talking heads representing increasingly polarized networks become famous for their
incendiary rhetoric.
But I think it was probably the
1973 Roe v. Wade abortion decision and the ensuing religious
mobilization into political combat
that has made the greatest difference.
The Roe decision, which overturned all state abortion laws to
establish a very permissive national legal framework, became
the centerpiece for religious right
organizing. Not immediately, but
within a few years after Roe, abortion policy became viewed not just
as another difficult arena where
differences could be debated in
good faith, but instead as a life-ordeath struggle between the forces
of good and the forces of evil. Nuances and shades of gray disappeared. Activist groups built their
empires on absolutist stances and
aggressive postures toward their
foes.
As the fight deepened, longstanding gulfs between (conservative) Catholics and Protestants
were bridged, as leaders of these
communities coalesced around a
fierce rejection of the Roe decision
and equally fierce condemnation
of a society that could live with
such a decision. This in turn triggered a sometimes equally fierce
response by the various religious
and secular groups who supported
the Roe decision and often poured
just as vigorous condemnation on
those who opposed it.
It is a truism that anything you
do for 40 days in a row becomes
a habit. If so, anything a political
community does for 40 years in a
row most certainly becomes a habit. I suggest that the response and
counter-response to Roe have distorted our culture by creating the
habit of demonization in American public life. If abortion was the
seed, the fruit has blossomed with
many other issues; everything
from gay rights to immigration
to energy policy has become fair
game not just for debate but for
the routine resort to demonization.
The pattern remains most obvious whenever anything related to
abortion is under consideration
- as with health care reform, in
which abortion has become a
central part of the debate despite
the best efforts of most Democratic leaders to keep the legislation abortion-neutral. The entire
health care reform effort has become an episode in demonization;
even arcane policy decision related to the best way to keep down
health insurance costs evokes wild
denunciations. Rep. Joe Wilson’s
outburst at the president’s health
care address … is symptomatic of
our problem.
Demonization involves a shift
from debating issues to attacking
persons, who become the embodiment of evil. Demonization has a
deathly logic to it: if we could just
destroy (the career of ) that person who is getting it all wrong,
all would be well in our country.
The left has found its figures to
hate: Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, George W. Bush, and even, at
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Opinion
the time, Ronald Reagan. So has
the right had its demons, beginning with Jimmy Carter, spiking
with Bill and Hillary Clinton and
now focusing intensely on Barack
Obama.
I myself am an evangelical Christian who thinks Roe is bad law. But
I am also drawn toward any effort
to find common ground, whether
on abortion reduction strategies
or on other issues. For this, I myself have been demonized. Some
of these experiences have led me
to reflect a bit on why, as a Chris-
tian, I am so committed to the effort to find common ground - and
why I seek to resist the demonization of adversaries that I find very
tempting sometimes.
I try to start by recognizing the
God-given fellow humanity of
everyone that I encounter, even
those I sharply disagree with. My
faith teaches that every human being is made in the image of God
and beloved by God. Each shares
humanity’s common pool of frailties and strengths. Every human
being is worthy of being treated
prove that trust is not warranted. I
find that starting from a posture of
hope and trust seems to evoke the
same in others.
I try to recognize the need of
others for full voice in decisions
that affect all of us. I try to understand the viewpoints of others and
to dialogue respectfully with them
even where the disagreements are
sharp and evident.
I cultivate a sense of gratitude
about living in America and about
the democracy we have developed
over these centuries. Reading history and looking around the world
it is abundantly clear that what we
have here is a huge achievement
in human civilization. I think that
Christians need to celebrate this
open to the possibilities.
achievement
rather than toying
LIBRA (September 23 to October
with
thatfor
comes
right
up
22) Itlanguage
might be time
a family
counthose problems
are
tocil.orThe
oversooner
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of endorsresolved, the sooner you can move
ing
violence.
play preparations.
with fire in
ahead
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holiday
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Don’t
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theunconscionable.
opportunity pass you by.
(October
23 to
ISCORPIO
dare to think
that
it’sNovember
still not
change in holiday travel plans might 21) Take some time out to give more
be more vexing than you’d expected. attention to a personal relationship
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But try to take it in stride.
it that seems to be suffering from a sense
couldn’t hurt to use that Aries charm to of emotional neglect. Provide that
coax out some helpful cooperation.
much-needed reassurance.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
Bovine determination helps you deal December 21) Cheer up. That unusual
with an unforeseen complication. circumstance that might faze most
And, as usual, you prove that when it people can be handled pretty well by
comes to a challenge, you have what it the savvy Sagittarian. Look at it as an
takes to take it on.
opportunity rather than an obstacle.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)
CAPRICORN (December 22 to JanAlthough a romantic theme dominates uary 19) Someone you believe has hurt
much of the week, all those warm and you in the past might now need your
fuzzy feelings don’t interfere with the help. Reaching out could be difficult.
more pragmatic matters you need to But the generous Goat will be able to
take care of.
do the right thing, as always.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Best
AQUARIUS (January 20 to Februnot to ignore those doubts about an ary 18) Prioritizing is an important
upcoming decision. Instead, recheck part of your pre-holiday scheduling.
the facts you were given to make sure Try to give time both to your workday
nothing important was left out. A responsibilities and those personal
weekend surprise awaits you.
matters you might have neglected.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) No time
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
for a catnap — yet. You might still With the vestiges of your anger about
have to straighten out one or two fac- that painful incident fading, you can
tors so that you can finally assure now focus all your energy on the more
yourself of the truth about a troubling positive aspects of your life, including
workplace situation. Stay with it.
that personal situation.
VIRGO (August 23 September 22)
BORN THIS WEEK: You have a
News from an old friend could lead to way of bringing your own strong sense
an unexpected (but nonetheless wel- of reassurance to others and encouragcome) reunion with someone who had ing them to hope.
once been very special in your life. Be
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.
No Recovery for America
Sorry, someone had to say it but when you look at our
financial mess, unemployment, homeless Americans,
when you combine the state of the family, divorce rates,
abortions, births out of wedlock, people just plain shacking up, homosexuality, abandonment of family values, the
removal of God, terrorism, crime, drugs, greed, hatred,
self-centered lifestyles, unrepentant attitudes then sorry
the answer is no recovery. For God says, “when a land
sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch
out My hand against it”, and so it is happening. Our biggest problem is in obeying God’s laws, it’s really that simple. Yet most Churches teach that you do not need to
obey. Why? You have to obey your boss but not God,
isn’t that a little backward thinking? For over 70 years we
warned that our downfall was near & now it is at our
doorstep, we are at our last hour. Those ancient prophecies speak to us, descendents of Israel, hard headed
children of Abraham who refuse to obey, who do not
tremble at God’s word. The Northern Va. Church of God
teaches law, not following the traditions of men but rather
the commandments, the Sabbaths & Holy days of God
keeping them just as the early Church and Apostles did.
Do you want to understand? God says, “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments”,
then come meet with us at the Samuels Public Library
where some recent & exciting topics were on the current
financial mess, evolution, what really happened at Noah’s
flood. Come meet to praise God, learn, fellowship & truly
understand how to receive grace. Come meet with us
you will find rest from this world.
Glenn Douglas Williams 703-268-4201
Church of God Ministries International
Northern Virginia Church of God
We do not take collections or solicit for money.
http://NovaCog.org
too late to be the kind of nation
in which differences are debated
honestly, the votes are cast, the
decisions are made, and we move
forward together as one people. I
would like to see Christians contribute to that kind of society,
rather than to the demonization
that undermines it at its foundations.
(David P. Gushee is Distinguished
University Professor of Christian
Ethics at Mercer University. First
published on Sept. 28, 2009, in
USA Today, and is reprinted here
by permission of the author, who
is the son of Front Royal Planning
Commission Chairman David
Gushee.)
• On Dec. 10, 1901, the first Nobel
Prizes are awarded in Stockholm,
Sweden, on the fifth anniversary of the
death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish
inventor of dynamite and other high
explosives. Although Nobel offered no
reason for his creation of the prizes, it
is believed he did so out of moral
regret over the increasingly lethal uses
of his inventions in war.
• On Dec. 12, 1917, in Omaha, Neb.,
Father Edward J. Flanagan, a 31-yearold Irish priest, opens the doors to a
home for troubled and neglected children. Today “Boys and Girls Town”
includes a grade school, a high school
and a career vocational center on a
farm 10 miles west of Omaha.
• On Dec. 7, 1925, future Tarzan
actor Johnny Weissmuller sets the
world record for the 150-yard freestyle
swim. Already a gold medalist from
the 1924 Olympics, Weissmuller competed again in 1928, taking five gold
medals in all. In 1931, MGM cast
Weissmuller to play the title role in
“Tarzan the Ape Man.”
• On Dec. 11, 1946, in the aftermath
of World War II, the United Nations
votes to establish the United Nations
International Children’s Emergency
Fund (UNICEF), an organization to
help provide relief and support to children living in countries devastated by
the war.
• On Dec. 13, 1950, an unknown
actor named James Dean appears in a
Pepsi commercial. Dean would later
personify the angry, restless youth culture in the film “Rebel Without a
Cause” (1955). He died in a car crash
in 1955 at age 24.
• On Dec. 8, 1987, at a summit meeting in Washington, D.C., President
Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev sign the first treaty
between the two superpowers to
reduce their massive nuclear arsenals.
Previous agreements had merely been
attempts by the two Cold War adversaries to limit the growth of their
nuclear arsenals.
• On Dec. 9, 1992, British Prime
Minister John Major announces the
formal separation of Charles, Prince of
Wales and heir to the British throne,
and his wife, Princess Diana. The
report came after several years of
speculation by the tabloid press that
the marriage was in peril.
November 23, 2009
with basic human decency and respect. I try to do that.
I remind myself that every human being is capable of error and
sin. Christianity teaches that human beings are morally damaged
sinners. This means that other
people sometimes get things very
wrong. So I am not surprised when
that happens.
But I am also painfully aware
that whatever must be said about
the weakness and vulnerability of
others must also be said about me.
As Alexander Solzhenitsyn said,
“The line separating good and evil
passes ... right through every human heart.” A society is really in
trouble when people forget this,
and everyone begins to think that
“we” are “the good” and “they” are
“the demonic.” Religious people
may be especially susceptible.
I try to look for the God-given
goodness in people. I assume the
21 to April
That
goodARIES
faith (March
of others
until19)
they
—2
Indictments, from 23
of less than $1,000, belonging to
Robert Eugene Ruckman.
COUNT TWO: On or about September 11, 2009, in the County of
Warren, Vincent Howard Diggs
Jr. did unlawfully and feloniously
steal property, having a value of
two hundred dollars ($200) or
more, belonging to Robert Eugene Ruckman.
COUNT THREE: On or about
September 11, 2009 in the Coun-
COUNT ONE: On or about July
20, 2009, in the County of Warren, Daniel Lee Markham, of
unknown age and address, did
unlawfully and feloniously drive
or operate a motor vehicle while
under the influence of alcohol,
or any other self-administered
—22—
Alfred T. Respass, Jr.
in the County of Warren, Alfred
T. Respass, Jr., 49, of 1442 John
Marshall Highway, #10, Front
Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully
and feloniously, with the intention of converting goods or merchandise to his own use without
having paid the full purchase
price thereof, willfully conceal the
goods or merchandise of Kmart,
having previously been convicted
of larceny or an offense deemed
as larceny two or more times.
Stacy Robbins
in the County of Warren, Stacy
Robbins, 33, of 1308 Queens
Highway, Front Royal, VA 22630,
did unlawfully and feloniously
steal property having a value of
less than two hundred dollars
($200), belonging to Target and
having
previously
been
• On Dec.
10, 1901,
theconvicted
first Nobel
on
two
or
more
other
Prizes are awarded in occasions
Stockholm,
within
or
Sweden,the
on theCommonwealth
fifth anniversary of the
other jurisdiction, of larceny, an
death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish
offense deemed larceny, or a subinventor of dynamite and other high
stantially similar offense.
explosives. Although Nobel offered no
reason for Joann
his creation
of the prizes, it
Sholes
is believed he did so out of moral
regret over the increasingly lethal uses
of his inventions in war.
• On Dec. 12, 1917, in Omaha, Neb.,
Father Edward J. Flanagan, a 31-yearold Irish priest, opens the doors to a
home for troubled and neglected children. Today “Boys and Girls Town”
includes a grade school, a high school
and a career vocational center on a
farm 10 miles west of Omaha.
• On Dec. 7, 1925, future Tarzan
actor Johnny Weissmuller sets the
world record for the 150-yard freestyle
swim. Already a gold medalist from
the 1924 Olympics, Weissmuller competed again in 1928, taking five gold
medals in all. In 1931, MGM cast
Weissmuller to play the title role in
“Tarzan the Ape Man.”
• On Dec. 11, 1946, in the aftermath
of World War II, the United Nations
votes to establish the United Nations
International Children’s Emergency
Fund (UNICEF), an organization to
help provide relief and support to children living in countries devastated by
the war.
• On Dec. 13, 1950, an unknown
on or about July 22, 2009, in the
County of Warren, Joann Sholes,
60, of 8461 Westview Ct., Rixeyville, VA 22737, did unlawfully
and feloniously take, steal, and
carry away the goods and chattels
of Kmart, with a value of $200.00
or more.
Jamil Shante Smith
Court Grand Jury charges that on
or about July 8, 2009 through July
20, 2009, in the County of Warren, Jamil Shante Smith, 26, of
625 W 11th St., Front Royal, VA
22630, did unlawfully and feloniously take, drive or use a certain
vehicle of the value of $200.00
or more, the property of Raven
Johnson, without the consent of
said owner, in the absence of said
owner and with the intent to temporarily deprive the owner thereof of her possession thereof.
King Features Weekly Service
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) That
change in holiday travel plans might
be more vexing than you’d expected.
But try to take it in stride. Also, it
couldn’t hurt to use that Aries charm to
coax out some helpful cooperation.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your
Bovine determination helps you deal
with an unforeseen complication.
And, as usual, you prove that when it
comes to a challenge, you have what it
takes to take it on.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)
Although a romantic theme dominates
much of the week, all those warm and
fuzzy feelings don’t interfere with the
more pragmatic matters you need to
take care of.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Best
not to ignore those doubts about an
upcoming decision. Instead, recheck
the facts you were given to make sure
nothing important was left out. A
weekend surprise awaits you.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) No time
for a catnap — yet. You might still
have to straighten out one or two factors so that you can finally assure
yourself of the truth about a troubling
workplace situation. Stay with it.
VIRGO (August 23 September 22)
News from an old friend could lead to
an unexpected (but nonetheless welcome) reunion with someone who had
once been very special in your life. Be
open to the possibilities.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) It might be time for a family council. The sooner those problems are
resolved, the sooner you can move
ahead with your holiday preparations.
Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November
21) Take some time out to give more
attention to a personal relationship
that seems to be suffering from a sense
of emotional neglect. Provide that
much-needed reassurance.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Cheer up. That unusual
circumstance that might faze most
people can be handled pretty well by
the savvy Sagittarian. Look at it as an
opportunity rather than an obstacle.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Someone you believe has hurt
you in the past might now need your
help. Reaching out could be difficult.
But the generous Goat will be able to
do the right thing, as always.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Prioritizing is an important
part of your pre-holiday scheduling.
Try to give time both to your workday
responsibilities and those personal
matters you might have neglected.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
With the vestiges of your anger about
that painful incident fading, you can
now focus all your energy on the more
positive aspects of your life, including
that personal situation.
BORN THIS WEEK: You have a
way of bringing your own strong sense
of reassurance to others and encouraging them to hope.
to July 20,2009.
November 23, 2009
intoxicant or drug, such offense
being the third or subsequent
offense committed within a ten
year period.
COUNT TWO: On or about, July
20, 2009, in the County of Warren, Daniel Lee Markham having been arrested for a violation
of § 18.2-51.4, 18.2-266, or 18.2266.1, or of a similar ordinance,
and having been advised by the
arresting officer of the terms of
the implied consent law and the
consequences of an unreasonable
refusal to consent, did unreasonably and unlawfully refuse to
permit a sample of his blood or
breath to be taken for the purpose
of testing to determine the alcohol or drug content of his blood
having previously been convicted
of two violations of 18.2-266 or
18.2-268.3 within 10 years prior
King Features Weekly Service
• It was American actress and dancer
Charlotte Greenwood who made the
following sage observation: “Temperament is temper that is too old to
spank.”
• If you happen to own a Rolls
Royce and want to swank it up a little
bit, a mink jacket to fit the hood ornament is available for purchase.
• San Francisco’s iconic cable cars
are the only mobile national monument in the United States.
• You might be surprised to learn
that, according to the Guinness Book
of Records, the largest swimming
pool in the world isn’t found in one of
the large industrialized nations as you
might expect, but in the relatively
small South American country of
Chile. Built by a mega-resort on the
ocean, the pool covers 20 acres, is
more than 1,000 yards long and holds
a whopping 66 million gallons of
water. Construction took five years
and cost more than $1.5 billion, and
the estimated annual maintenance
cost is more than $3 million.
• Those who study such things say
that lightning travels at one-third the
speed of light.
• American comedian and actor Jack
Benny originally entered the family
business of haberdashery. However,
he was so bad at it that his own father
fired him.
• According to legend, it was shepherds in Ethiopia who first noticed the
effects of caffeine. It seems that the
goats they herded would become
exceedingly frisky after eating the
berries of the coffee plant.
• In order to come up with the cash to
start Apple Computers, Stephen Wozniak sold his programmable calculator and Steve Jobs sold his Volkswagen microbus.
• An experienced florist will never
put daffodils in a bouquet; the flower
is toxic to other blooms.
***
Thought for the Day: “Surrender is
essentially an operation by means of
which we set about explaining instead
of acting.” — Charles Peguy
Daniel Lee Markham
November 23, 2009
By Samantha Weaver
ty of Warren, Vincent Howard
Diggs Jr. did unlawfully, without
just cause, knowingly obstruct
a law enforcement officer in the
performance of his duties as
such, or failed or refused without
just cause to cease such obstruction when requested to do so by
such law enforcement officer.
Indictments
McCoy’s
Cookie Jars
540-683-9197
History
Warren County history comes home
Premier of film ‘Locked Out’ at a school that was
Some of the honored guests lived through the experience of “Massive Resistance” here in Warren County.
Courtesy Photos/WCHS Yearbook staff
By Glenda Fox
Special to WC Report
More than fifty years ago in response to federally-court ordered
integration, Virginia state leaders
responded by ordering the closing
of many Virginia public schools.
Warren County High School was
one of the schools closed during
that tumultuous period.
On November 4, government
and history students from Warren County High School and Skyline High School, as well as some
special invited guests gathered
in Warren County High School’s
auditorium to view the premier
of a documentary film on what
has become historically known
as “Massive Resistance.” The film,
“Locked Out: The Fall of Massive
Resistance” was co-produced by
the University of Virginia Center
for Politics and WCVE, the PBS
station in Richmond.
For the students, the video was
a close-to-home history lesson
on events that took place many
years before they were born. For
the invited guests, it was a look
back on a time when under great
mental and often physical duress,
they stood up for the rights of all
students to an equal education.
Some of those guests, Joyce Henderson Banks, Rebecca Fletcher
Johnson, Gwen Baltimore Smith,
Anne Rhodes Baltimore, Mary
Holman Washington and the
Rev. James M. Kilby were members of the first class to integrate
WCHS.
After the video was viewed, the
guests were invited to share their
memories of that time. They all
expressed pride at what they had
accomplished and the hope that
today’s students and future generations will appreciate and take
advantage of the opportunities
for an education that 50 years
ago were not available for all students until a brave few stood up
for equality.
The movie focused on the triumphs and tragedies of those
children involved in the fight for
equal education for all Americans. Personal interviews with
some of those students, as well
as former Virginia governors Linwood Holton and Douglas Wilder were featured, as well as UVA
professor Larry Sabato and civil
rights historians were featured in
the film.
In 1989, 30 years after the fall
of Massive Resistance, Virginia
would become the first state to
elect an African-American governor, Douglas Wilder. In 2008,
exactly 50 years after the first Virginia school was closed by Massive Resistance, Barack Obama
carried the Commonwealth in
the presidential election.
“Locked Out” aired statewide
on Nov. on most PBS stations. In
February 2010, the documentary
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will be distributed to PBS stations nationwide in conjunction
with Black History Month.
Founded in 1998 by political
analyst and Professor Larry J. Sabato, the University of Virginia
Center for Politics (www.centerforpolitics.org) is a non-partisan
institute that seeks to promote
the value of politics, improve civics education, and increase civic
participation through comprehensive research, pragmatic anal-
ysis, and innovative educational
programs.
The Community Idea Stations
are a family of stations that include WCVE PBS and WHTJ
PBS, and are a primary provider
of local productions, with weekly
programs and local documentaries and specials, which have
been accepted for national distribution by PBS and American
Public Television.
(Partially from a release)
Who Says Homes
Aren’t Selling?
Ken Evans
540-683-9680
[email protected]
Sharon Cales
540-683-1370
[email protected]
Warren County
Real Estate Data
• October figures are in! 37 homes
SOLD 61 were marked sale pending
up from Sept figure of 46
• National Association of Realtors
announced that sales of existing home
rose 9.4% in Sept to the highest level
in more than 2 years.
• Weichert Realtors has just announced
that Sharon Cales and Ken Evans were
named top linting associates company
wide for the month of September.
contact us: www.WarrenHomes.info
It’s the best home BUYERS market in decades. Let us show
you how to get the best deal on the market & Oh, by the
way, who do you know that may need help with buying or
selling a home? Please send us
their names and numbers so we
can help them too.
Garden Club coffee
The Front Royal Garden Club
is hosting an informational coffee
at the Samuels Public Library on
Saturday, December 12th at 10:30
A.M.
The topic being addressed is
called the “Farm-to-Table” (F2T)
program. Trisha Scheuerlein, the
F2T Director, will discuss her six
years of experience with this program in the Rappahannock Schools
where students were trained to create and maintain edible and ornamental gardens planted on school
property and visited local farms to
learn about growing, nurturing and
harvesting crops which were then
used in the public school cafeterias.
Discussion will be held as to the
possibility of this program being initiated in the Warren County
schools.
For further information, please
call Tina Hobson at 540-636-9382
or Email [email protected]
Pet photos with Santa
Volunteers with Virginia German
Shepherd Rescue will be working
with Petco in Front Royal and Pet
Smart in Winchester to provide the
always popular “Pet Photos with
Santa”, Proceeds from these pictures
go to animal rescue. Bring your pets
and have a great Christmas photo of
your best friends!!! Pictures will be
taken at Petco, Crooked Run Plaza,
Front Royal on Saturday, Dec 5; and
Saturday, Dec 12 from 11am until 4
pm. Pictures will be available at Pet
Smart in Winchester on Saturday,
Dec 12 and Sunday, Dec 13, from
11am until 4 pm.
Your help will enable us to provide
care and homes for dogs in rescue.
Street sign arrests
Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron of
the Warren County Sheriff ’s Office
advises that on November 4, 2009,
after receiving a tip from a citizen of
the possible whereabouts of county
signs, Deputy Tyson Romer began
an investigation. The investigation
resulted in the recovery of twelve
signs belonging to the County of
Warren and two signs belonging to
the County of Fauquier.
Warrants for Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Felony Grand Larceny were obtained and served on
Stephen Rhodes West, a 24 year
old male of Front Royal, Ashley Nicole Kuser, a 21 year old female of
Front Royal and one juvenile petition. They were released on their
own recognizance. There are also
outstanding warrants for another
suspect at this time.
Rotary Vegas Vacation winner
The Rotary Club of Front Royal
has announced the winners of its 1st
Annual Vegas Raffle held on Saturday, November 7th in conjunction
with its Vegas Night at the Holiday
Inn at Blue Ridge Shadows. Winner of the grand prize a $1,000 gift
card from the Venetian Resort in
Las Vegas and $500 for airfare was
Jacki Thomas of Front Royal. James
Davis of Winchester and a member
of the Rotary Club won the second
place price of a 3 night stay at the
Double Tree in Las Vegas and $250
for airfare.
The Rotary Club of Front Royal
partnered with four local charities to sell 514 raffle tickets for the
chance to win. The Community
partners assisting the Rotary Club
are:
•
•
•
•
American Red Cross, Top of
VA Chapter
Warren County 4-H
Warren County Skatepark
Committee
St. Luke Community Clinic
While the raffle was sponsored
by the Rotary Club, each $10 ticket
sold by a partnering organization,
enabled them to keep $5. According to Raffle Committee Chairman
Doug Stanley, “We were extremely
excited to be partnering with these
outstanding organizations. Each of
the four organizations will share in
the proceeds of the event. These are
all organizations that we have supported in the past and we are excited to help them raise funds through
the raffle.” Stanley added that the
partnering organizations would be
receiving a total of $1,365 back for
their efforts.
According to Beth Waller, ViceChair of the American Red Cross,
Top of VA Chapter, “The local
American Red Cross was thrilled
to once again be the beneficiary of
the Front Royal Rotary’s generosity.
We were also excited that one of the
tickets sold by the Red Cross won
the grand prize, congratulations to
Jacki who happens to be one of our
dedicated Disaster Action Team
Volunteers!”
The Club would like to take the
opportunity to thank its Club
FY2009-2010 sponsors without
whose support enable the Club to
make an impact on the Front RoyalWarren County community.
Stolen van
Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron of
the Warren County Sheriff ’s Office
See The news, 39
The news
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706 N. Royal Avenue, Front Royal, Va.
“I like to think it will be a rosier scenario next year.” –
eternal economic optimist and Vice Mayor Bret Hrbek
Town budget
When the lights went out on Front Royal’s budget
Library auto-dimming on cue as council grapples with economic realities
You want to do what? Town Manager Michael Graham ponders budget direction from an ever-economically-optimistic town council.
By Roger Bianchini
I had a bad moment when the
lights automatically dimmed significantly in a Samuel’s Public Library
meeting room as I was listening to
the Front Royal Town Council discuss where to incur a million dollars
or more in new expenditures in the
next fiscal year. The obvious analogy to “these guys being in the dark”
might not have been as pronounced
if I hadn’t just heard staff inform our
own economic “Dark Knights” of an
anticipated $1 million revenue shortfall from budget ground zero before
any new expenditures were contemplated.
Among the reasons for that shortfall are declining state revenues, at
least $410,000 in “599” funding for
local police departments; and an anticipated meal’s tax revenue decline
of $280,000 based on information
that as many as five restaurants in the
522 industrial corridor shopping centers are expected to close. That latter
information came from information
provided by Riverton Commons and
Crooked Run Shopping Center attorney “Clay” Athey, staff told council.
Town Finance Director Kim GilkeyBreeden said that should corridor
restaurants close, shopping center
representatives are forecasting they
will be replaced by retail businesses
with no meals tax component.
Then of course there is the swinging financial pendulum of the corridor lawsuit over the town’s meals
tax component of its corridor fees,
which if lost has been forecast to cost
the town $600,000 or more in annual
corridor tax/fee revenues.
What me worry?
That gloomy staff report was almost immediately followed by a
council jousting match about priorities in spending a million dollars and
more on town staff benefit packages
and various capital improvement
projects – of course, as is this council and its predecessors’ preference
over the past decade – without raising the base taxes paid by all citizens
and upon which municipal budgets
are traditionally built. Staff indicated
each penny of real estate tax equals
approximately $108,000 of revenue
the town.
But rather than rely on across the
board tax increases, council pointed
staff toward a continued pattern of
raiding the town’s General Fund balance, other one-time “windfall” economic sources, and the addition of
luxury taxes like cigarettes and meals
tax hikes. – With a nod to old NY
Yankees Hall of Fame catcher Yogi
Berra, it was definitely a case of “déjà
vu all over again.”
At the outset of the discussion
Town Manager Michael Graham told
council this was the toughest economic climate within his experience
in which to prepare a budget. While
this is only Graham’s third year helping prepare the town municipal budget, his career in the budget trenches
dates back several decades over a
career in the private corporate sector. His Nov. 16 budget work session
comments echoed the town manager’s warnings about the economic
minefield within which council prepared its current $35-million, 2010
Fiscal Year budget in late 2008.
“I like to think it will be a rosier scenario next year,” said Vice Mayor Bret
Hrbek, also echoing comments from
last year’s budget discussion.
So confident was council last year
in that same “rosier” future scenario
that they elected to not even equalize
the town’s property tax to make up
for revenue losses from the declining
value of automobiles across the commonwealth. Council declined to raise
the property tax rate from 60 cents to
73 cents last year in order for property taxes to be maintained at a revenue neutral figure. Last year council
also declined to raise its real estate
tax a couple pennies to compensate
for across the board declining sales
tax revenues of $300,000-plus due to
the economic downturn, recession,
or depression – take your neuvo-economics pick.
Reminded a year ago that the town
had not raised either real estate or
personal property taxes in nine years,
one councilman commented of the
2009-10 flat tax decision – “it’ll look
better next year if we have to raise
them, if we can say we haven’t raised
those taxes in a decade.”
River City political-economics
– you gotta love it.
After listening to council ponder a
$500,000 withdrawal from an already
depleted General Fund, the spending
of an anticipated nearly half million
dollar “windfall” from the first-time
June payment of the new twice-ayear tax billing the town followed the
county into the breech on this year,
Graham said gently, “I would never
put a budget together like this, relying on one-time available money
– what about next year? … It’s chancy
to anticipate that the economy will
come back [that soon],” Graham said
at the Nov. 16 work session.
The ‘jobless recovery’
Perhaps the town manager was
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WHLS, R-DEFOG, HTD-SEATS, SUNROOF, REMOTE START, 43K, #490051
$22,863
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(540)667-4141
Stephens City ~ 660 Warrior Drive Ste., 102
Stephens City (540)869-7272
Front Royal ~ 610 N. Royal Ave., Front Royal, VA
(540) 636-3031
Order Online at
www.papajohns.com
2008 Chevrolet HHR 4D APV
4 cyl AUTO, AC/AM/FM/CD-6 DISC,
LTH-S, C/T , PWR-L-W-S, ALUM WHLS,
R DEFOG, LKG REAR DIFF, ONSTAR,
SUN ROOF, SPOILER, 6809 Miles,
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2006 Chevrolet Tahoe
8-cyl, Auto, AC, AM/FM/CD, C/T/
PWR-L-W-S, ALUM WHLS, R-DEFOG, LK-R-DIFF, ASSIST STEPS,
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“I would never put a budget together like this, relying on one-time available
money – what about next year? … It’s chancy to anticipate that the economy
will come back [that soon].” – Town Manager Michael Graham
lar stimulus package bonuses, we’ll
be okay, right?)
Rainy day, go away
Literally - these guys were in the dark during at least
a portion of the the Nov. 16, FY 2011 budget discussion ... I swear it wasn’t me. - GEEZ, they fed me (I
think I got Shae’s portion).
recalling a gloomy future economic
forecast presented at a recent Virginia Municipal League conference,
which he described to council within
about a month of the Nov. 16 budget
discussion. As reported here previously, Graham told council state officials are anticipating the current
economic downturn continuing
another two or three years in what
Graham said VML speakers referred
to as “a jobless recovery.” (We guess
that means everything is okay on
Wall Street, where national Republicans and Democrats put their financial heads together in 2008-09 to
prop up a virtual criminal empire of
financial and banking hooligans with
an estimated $3 trillion of actual,
working Americans’ tax money. – So,
if Main Street America has no work
or money to provide a tax revenue
stream to states and municipalities
over the next three years, if we can
lure enough of those Wall Street tycoons to town with their million dol-
Overstuff Your
Turkey Not Your
Insurance....
Save Money On
Insurance So You
Can Spend It On
Your
Family
Rather than rely solely on shortterm and non-sustainable budget solutions, Graham suggested council at
least look at ways of combining ongoing revenue streams with one-time
raids on so-called rainy day funds.
As Hrbek said last year, and revisited the thought in the Nov. 16 discussion, “This is that rainy day previous councils had the foresight to set
money aside for, so why not use it?”
Hrbek argued for capital improvements that would present something
substantial for taxpayers to see as a
return on their taxes, including any
necessary tax hike this year to balance a budget including new expenditures. As county officials have
over the past year, the vice mayor
suggested the town take advantage
of lower construction costs in the
down market, make needed road improvements with a goal of being prepared when the economy turns and
building, travel, tourism and other
transportation dependent activities
rebound to more normal levels. – “I
think we need to spend more now on
bricks and mortar projects, so when
business booms again and comes
back we’ll be in a position to take advantage,” the vice mayor stated.
Tom Sayre argued that town staff
be given a 2.5-percent COLA increase requiring another quarter
million dollar revenue stream, as
well as pursue construction of a new
police headquarters building. – “Our
citizens need a paycheck,” Sayre said
during the staff benefits discussion,
adding, “Crime is going up … we
need a state of the art law enforcement headquarters …” as he lobbied
for additional millions (the county is
anticipating a $9 to $14 million expenditure on its new Public Safety
Building to house the sheriff ’s office
and emergency services) to upgrade
the police department.
Graham pointed out it might be
premature for the town to commit
millions to a building it does not yet
have land to put said building on.
“We are already a million short and
we haven’t done anything yet,” Mayor
Eugene Tewalt reminded council of
the starting point for the budget cycle. The mayor continued to remind
council it was looking at an approximate 16-percent tax hike, perhaps 13
cents, “to do anything.” Earlier the
mayor pointed out, “To balance a
budget we’re already a million short
on, it’s either take $500,000 from the
General Fund and $500,000 from the
early tax payment windfall or raise
taxes 7 percent.”
“I’m not raising taxes – that’s the
first I heard of that,” Sayre responded
to the mayor and staff ’s revisiting the
notion of basic tax hikes to cover not
Town budget
only lost revenue, but also additional
expenditures council seems to desire
despite the tight economy.
Council revisited the idea of various luxury tax hikes, including cigarettes and meals, rather than raise
across the board real estate or personal property taxes. Sayre suggested
as much as a 25 to 50-cent cigarette
tax per pack. Shae Parker countered
that a 15-cent tax per pack could accommodate significant budget needs
without putting too great a strain on
the community’s nicotine-addicted
masses.
Money in, money out
Perhaps calming to council was
the notion the town still has a $6.03
million General Fund balance.
However, Town Finance Director
Gilkey-Breeden told council the actual available, uncommitted General
Fund balance is down to $1.6 million.
According to numbers presented to
council by staff, over the past five
years the General Fund has fluctuated between a high of $7.58 million
in FY 2007, to a low of $5.3 million in
FY 2004.
Figures were not immediately available to reflect annual fluctuations in
uncommitted portions of those past
General Fund numbers. However,
Gilkey-Breeden explained this year’s
number was down in part due to
money that had been set aside in the
GF for the Royal Village Project that
had finally been spent. Similar scenarios on other projects can account
for annual fluctuations, as well as
unanticipated expenditures such as
capital works emergencies, like failed
HVAC systems in a town building
that might unexpectedly need to be
repaired or replaced.
Gilkey-Breeden presented a chart
showing the town’s exiting bond debt
of $12.19 million (four bonds). It was
noted the town still carried an “A”
rating from two financial companies,
Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.
However, the town is anticipating
having to finance as much as $40 million in improvements to its wastewater system within the next two years
as federal and state deadlines on municipalities improving those systems
in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
come due.
Staff also told council that by state
guidelines based on existing general
obligation debt versus 10 percent of
its taxable assets, the town can still
borrow just over $163 million. Of
course that number is likely to come
down, staff further explained, as real
estate reassessments proceed on
their four-year cycle, devaluing real
estate along with the already-clobbered personal property tax base on
the eve of yet another anticipated
rosy season in the Federal Reserve
and Wall Street led capitalist Never,
Neverland.
CIP priorities
Among capital improvements on
the higher priority list and subject to
General Fund money were the Criser
Road Bridge replacement, which staff
cited as a coming necessity; design
and potentially construction of the
much-ballyhooed East-West Connector Road that is part of the Front
Royal Limited Partnership rezoning discussion; Leach’s Run Parkway
design. From the Water Fund, Criser
Road Pressure Design work to accommodate water pressure problems
in that area. And from the Electric
Fund, VDOT reimbursable money
for the North Fork Bridge lighting,
and Royal Avenue traffic signal improvements. – So much to do, so l,
l-l, l-l-l-little money to do it with …
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“She loved the outdoors and no matter what the
weather … that’s where you’d find her,” says Shipe.
Region
Hunter mistakenly kills student, 23
Frederick native loved the outdoors, died in woods
By Lorie Showalter
A Frederick County family is
mourning the loss of a daughter after
her tragic death at Ferrum College
Tuesday, Nov. 17th by a hunter who
said he thought she was a deer.
Jessica “Jess” Kenzel Goode, 23 was
killed on property adjacent to the college campus by a hunter who was on
private property and did not have a
hunting license. The bullet that killed
Jessica Goode also struck her classmate 20-year old sophomore Regis
Boudinot from McClean, VA badly
wounding him in the arm and hand
and he underwent surgery Tuesday
night following the shooting. Junior
Tyler Kraft was walking in the woods
with the pair when they were shot
but was not injured.
Police arrested 31 year old Jason
Cloutier charging him with involuntary manslaughter, reckless use
of a firearm and trespassing to hunt,
charges that together carry a maximum of 12 years in jail and $5,000 in
fines.
Cloutier remains free on a bond set
at $20,000 and is due in court December 2 for arraignment.
The trespassing to hunt and reckless handling of a firearm charges
both carry a penalty of up to one year
in jail for each charge and a fine of
up to $2,500 each. Manslaughter is
a Class 5 felony with a penalty of a
term of imprisonment of no less than
one year nor more than ten years in
prison.
Tuesday afternoon Jess and two
other friends headed out into the
nearby woods to enjoy the outdoors
as most Ferrum College students are
accustomed to doing since the purpose of their tenure at the college is
environmental science and whose
grounds are situated on 700 acres of
field and woodland country.
Long-time Ferrum College friend
Timothy Shipe says, “Jessica and I
went into Ferrum the same year and
shared Freshman orientation class
together and became good friends
from that day on. Later on we had
other classes together but meeting
her in orientation and beginning that
friendship” is what cemented that
bond.”
Shipe began a Facebook page
in memory of his friend when he
learned of her death. He said, “I was
in shock, I couldn’t believe it.” Shipe
said the page was the best way to remember Jess and provided a way to
work through his and others grief
over their loss. Shipe, who currently
lives in Staunton and graduated Ferrum in May, said he and Jess would
have both graduated together but
she had chosen to add an additional
semester and planned to graduate in
December.
Shipe said he never saw Jess in a
negative or down mood and that
despite inclement weather she
loved being outside. “She loved the
outdoors and no matter what the
weather … that’s where you’d find
her. She turned negative energy into
positive energy, she was always in a
good mood.” Her good frame of mind
was an infectious spirit for those that
were her friends and knew her well.
Classmates, friends and family have
inundated the Facebook page with
posts about Jess in remembrance of
her personality, good nature and love
of life. In addition to postings begun
there, Ferrum College has also begun
a comment page on their website at
www.ferrum.edu/ironblade/index.
htm
A memorial service was held on
campus in Vaughn Chapel Wednesday, Nov. 18th. Her funeral service
was held Saturday.
Jess was born June 13, 1986 in Winchester to the parents of David and
Carol Wade Goode and was 23 years
old at the time of her death. She graduated from James Wood High School
in 2004 and her parents, David and
Carol, live in Frederick County in
Winchester.
Virginia Department of Game
and Inland Fisheries lead investiga-
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Jess Goode, 23 (left) was killed on property adjacent to Ferrum College Tuesday Nov. 18 by unlicensed hunter Jason Cloutier, 31, (right) who said he mistook
Goode for a deer. Courtesy photos.
tor Sgt. Karl Martin said, “The first
thing hunters learn is they must be
sure of their target and that was not
the case here.” In addition to reckless
use of a firearm, Cloutier was not in
possession of a hunting license nor
can officials locate records to prove
he had taken a hunting safety course.
However, under Virginia law he was
exempt from both requirements
as long as he was hunting on his
property. Cloutier’s in-laws own the
78-acre wooded property abutting
the Franklin County woods Ferrum
College students are accustomed to
using for researching environmental
studies, and for walking and hiking.
Authorities say Cloutier was not
on his family’s property and was illegally hunting on the Franklin County
property that had become, up until
now, a safe haven for Ferrum students. Both Cloutier and the uninjured student, Kraft called 911 at the
time of the incident.
Cloutier’s wife is a Ferrum College
alumna and his mother-in-law is also
a Ferrum alumna amd is an employee
of Ferrum College.
Early accounts said the students
were collecting frogs for a biology
class. Ferrum English Professor Lana
Whited said, “The college is interested in correcting this. They were not
[working on a class project] and in
fact, Jess and the male student who
was shot weren’t even in any biology
classes this semester. I understand
that the student who was not injured
had been working on a project earlier
in the day and gone back to the area
with Jess and Regis just to show them
a few things he’d noticed, not necessarily relevant to any class project.”
“The story has become consistent
in many accounts now that the students were collecting frogs for a biol-
ogy class, and no one seems to know
where that story originated,” said
Whited who is also Director of the
Boone Honors Program and publisher/editor of the college newspaper
“The Iron Blade.”
Ferrum College is a private college in the Blue Ridge Mountains of
Southwest Virginia located near the
town of Ferrum, Virginia closest to
the cities of Roanoke, Virginia and
Greensboro, NC. It has the second
oldest environmental science program in the nation and that program
was Jessica’s major.
Remembering Jess:
Jacqueline Andrusky says, “Jess
was great and I know she’ll be taking care of us,” after purchasing blaze
orange stocking caps for herself, her
boyfriend and an extra cap for anyone who might be with them in the
woods hiking from now on.
Luke Dye writes, “Jess, you should
know that I believe we will meet
again. This existence on earth is a
mere class in life, but it is not the
fullness of life itself. But until then,
I’ll always remember you and try to
honor that memory in my life. So
take care of yourself, and when the
time is right, all of us will be back up
on the mountain again. Sleep well,
Jess. And find the rest which God has
lay before you.”
Jim Bier writes, “At the visitation
this evening, I had the opportunity
to meet your mom, dad, and sister
and can understand a bit of how you
came to be such a beautifully special,
Jess at Philpot Lake in Franklin County last spring.
Courtesy Timothy Shipe.
Region
WE HAVE MANY REASONS
TO GIVE THANKS.
You’re one of them. On this Thanksgiving holiday, we
thank you for your business. We value you as a client and
look forward to continuing to help you reach your longterm financial goals.
We hope you enjoy Thanksgiving Day with your
family and friends.
Bret W. Hrbek
Financial Advisor
Holly Hill Professional Center
986 John Marshall Hwy Suite C
540-635-8229
Richard L. Mason
Financial Advisor
21 Lee Street
540-635-6830
www.edwardjones.com
Member SIPC
George L. Karnes II
Financial Advisor
115 N Royal Ave
540-635-6798
loving, and powerful person. Know
that we all cherish our times together
and that I will do my best to honor
your spirit.”
Linda Hughes writes, “I offer
prayers to all of those affected by this
senseless tragedy. There’s a sad loss
of innocence in being able to trek
through the woods unharmed. Jess
Goode will be remembered as the
brightest star in the night sky, the
rainbow after a summer storm, the
first glimpse of morning light. May
God bless her and keep her.”
Elena McPeeks writes, “I never saw
Jess without a smile on her face …
her happiness was contagious! Peace,
prayers and blessings to Goode family.”
Timothy Shipe says, “Jess was full
of life and respected everyone she
came in contact with, its hard to believe that she is gone from this earth
but at least we can find ease in knowing that she is now watching over all
of us!”
Jess’s Advisor Dr. Todd Fredericksen said, “Jessica was an energetic
and vibrant young woman who was
great friends with a large number of
students, faculty, and staff at Ferrum
College. She was also an excellent
student who was passionate about
protecting our environment. We are
all grieving her loss.”
To read more about Jess and those
who remember her visit tinyurl.com/
jessgoode
FrVaToday.com
The Town of Front Royal Business Offices will be CLOSED today. Trash/Recycling for this day has been rescheduled to
Tuesday, November 24, 2009.
Mon Nov 23, 2009
Forecast for 22630 (52° | 44°)
7pm - 7pm Town Council Meeting at the
Government Center
Tue Nov 24, 2009
Forecast for 22630 (57° | 45°)
Protect Your Customers
and Your Business
Kevin Scott, certified ServSafe
12:30pm - 1pm Tourism Tuesday on The
River 95.3 FM. Hear the latest tourism related news and events every Tuesday at
12:30! If you can’t listen live check out the
podcasts at www.theriver953online.com
Wed Nov 25, 2009
Food Safety and Alcohol
Forecast for 22630 (60° | 39°)
years of global experience to the
10am - 11am Samuels Public Library.
Today is Toddler Story Time. Theme:
Grandpa & Grandma
Service instructor, brings 20+
classroom. Come learn from the
industry’s best!
ServSafe® Food Safety Certification
The GOLD Standard for Food Safety Training
Our class meets the “Person in Charge” requirement of the Health
Department as a necessity for all Food Service and Restaurant Managers,
Cooks and Line Staff. Successful participants earn a five-year ServSafe
Certification which is recognized nationally.
Dec 3, Thu, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Middletown campus, $145
Workforce Solutions & Continuing Education
Register Today!
Visit our website www.LFCCworkforce.com for
a full list of classes or contact us at 540-868-7021.
11am - 12pm Samuels Public Library.
Today is Preschool Story Time. Theme:
Grandpa & Grandma
2pm - 4pm Folk Dancing. Every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon the Olde
Europe Folk Dance Troupe performs at
the gazebo area located on Main Street.
Dances include German, Irish, Danish,
Swedish, Norwegian, French, English,
Finnish & Icelandic.
Thu Nov 26, 2009
THANKSGIVING DAY
The Town of Front Royal Business Offices will be CLOSED today. Trash/Recycling for this day has been rescheduled to
Wednesday,November 25, 2009.
Hunter safety information
According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
website, since hunter education became mandatory for 12-15 year old
and first time hunters in 1988 there
2pm - 7pm Vino E Formaggio Wine Tasting. 124 E. Main Street. Always Free,
Always Fun! www.vinoeformaggio.com
635-2812
7pm - 10pm Front Porch Style Pickin’
Party. Warren County Senior Center,
1217 Commonwealth Ave. All levels of
talent are welcome. Acoustic instruments
only.
Sat Nov 28, 2009
8am - 4pm Warren County Fair Flea Market at the Fairgrounds. 540-635-5827
www.warrencountyfair.com
2pm - 3pm Samuels Public Library. Teen
Creative Writing Club for ages 12 and up.
Please sign up.
Sun Nov 29, 2009
8am - 4pm Warren County Fair Flea Market at the Fairgrounds.
Mon Nov 30, 2009
10am - 11am Samuels Public Library.
Toddler Story Time today - theme Painting
Tue Dec 1, 2009
12:30pm - 1pm Tourism Tuesday on The
River 95.3 FM. Hear the latest tourism related news and events every Tuesday at
12:30! If you can’t listen live check out the
podcasts at www.theriver953online.com
2pm - 3pm Ambassador’s Club meets at
the Chamber Office
Fri Nov 27, 2009
Wed Dec 2, 2009
DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
8:30am - 9:30am Small Business Com-
has been a 25% reduction in the rate
of hunting related shooting incidents.
While hunting is safe in comparison
to other common sports, each injury can cause extreme physical and
emotional pain for the victim, the
shooter, and their families. Hunter
Education courses are designed to
teach hunting safety, principles of
conservation, and sportsmanship. A
dedicated cadre of 900 trained volunteer instructors works with 160
Conservation Police Officers to teach
14,000 students each year. A program milestone was reached in 2007
when Hunter Education in Virginia
exceeded half-a-million graduates of
the course.
There is no charge for Virginia
Hunter Education classes. Call 804367-1000 for more information or
visit their website at www.dgif.virginia.gov
mittee meets at the Chamber Office
10am - 11am Samuels Public Library. Today is Toddler Story Time - theme ABCs
and 123s
11am - 12pm Samuels Public Library. Today is Preschool Story Time - theme is
ABCs and 123s
12pm - 6pm Main Street Melodies at the
Gazebo
12:30pm - 1pm Valley Business Today On
The River 95.3FM with the Front RoyalWarren County Chamber of Commerce
Thu Dec 3, 2009
9am - 10am Tourism Committee meets at
the Chamber Office
10am - 11am Samuels Public Library
Story Time
11am - 12pm Samuels Public Library
Story Time
Fri Dec 4, 2009
1:30pm - 2:30pm Education Committee
meets at the Chamber Office
4pm - 10pm ChristKindleMarkt 2009 at
the Caboose at Main & Chester Streets
Sat Dec 5, 2009
8am - 4pm Warren County Fair Flea Market at the Fairgrounds
9am - 6pm Christkindlmarkt at the Caboose at Main & Chester Streets
1pm - 2pm Puppet Show at Samuels
Public Library
4pm - 5pm Hometown Holiday Parade.
Downtown Front Royal
[email protected]
Diversions
Is your business advertising in Warren
County’s most popular newspaper?
If not, you are probably spending too
much to reach fewer people.
540-683-0728
or
540-551-2072
Diversions
Kids page
Sponsor the Kids Page! Call Alison Duvall
540-551-2072 • [email protected]
Sponsor the Kids Page!
Call Dan McDermott
540-636-1014 • [email protected]
Diversions
Pets Of The Week
Where did all the old trees go?
By the way, the new trees look
great!
Signed;
Chicken lover
Ask
Stewart
Dear Stewart;
Whoa! I just went to the KFC on
South Street and noticed a big
change.
Dear Chicken lover;
Yes, there was a big change
that seemed to happen overnight,
but in actuality, many years of
planning went into this one.
Members of the Urban Forest
Advisory Commission had been
noticing that the older pear trees
were constantly cut back severely
because they were growing into
the wires all the time. The Commission decided to try to correct
this issue and keep it in a positive
light.
Through the Virginia Depart-
ment of Forestry, the Urban Forest
Advisory Commission and the
Town of Front Royal received a
grant to develop a “Power Line
Friendly” landscaping plan for that
area. The owners of KFC agreed
to have the pear trees removed
as their contribution to the project.
Members of the Urban Forest Advisory Commission designed the
new plantings based on recommended trees suitable for planting
under power lines. This means
that the trees now there will not
have to be cut back because they
will not grow into the power lines.
Members of the Tree Stewards
and Urban Forest Advisory Commission braved a cold October
morning recently and planted
the twenty or so new trees at the
KFC. The tree species include
Fringetrees, Junipers, Crepe
Myrtle, and a beautiful specimen
Japanese Maple. Further plans
will include flower bulbs and small
shrubs to add accent to this landscaping.
Another “Power Line Friendly”
project was recently completed
on Virginia Avenue through the efforts of the Beautification of Front
Royal Committee.
The older and unsafe street trees
were replaced by suitable species
along several blocks of Virginia
Avenue. Projects like this keep
the Electric Company’s costs
down due to less need to trim
branches in the wires.
Another benefit is fewer power
outages due to branches causing
power interruptions during storms.
Keep your eyes and ears open
for more projects like this coming
soon!
– Stewart
The Front Royal/Warren County Tree
Steward program has been in existence since 1997. With 24 certified
tree stewards and 7new interns, they
are volunteers dedicated to improving
the health of trees by providing educational programs, tree planting and
care demonstrations, and tree maintenance assistance throughout the community. Through classroom training
and hands-on practice, Tree Stewards
learn the basics of tree biology and
physiology, tree identification, planting, and maintenance techniques.
Tree Stewards make a commitment to
improving and protecting their community forest. Each month Steward will
answer a question from our readers.
If you have a questions regarding tree
planting, care or maintenance, please
forward it to “Stewart” in care of [email protected] and we
may publish it in a future issue.
Warren County Humane Society Pets of the Week
Open Mon.-Sun. 10am to 4pm - Closed Wed. • 1245 Progress Drive, Front Royal, VA • 540-635-4734 • [email protected]
Please ask about our low cost spay and neuter program. Please be sure your pets at home are spayed/neutered
and up to date on vaccinations. Check out our other adoptable pets on
www.warrenco.petfinder.com
540 635-4734
Chloe is a female Bernese Mountain
dog mix. She is around 2 years old,
and has one blue and one brown
eye. She is very sweet and loving,
great with kids, and knows sit.
Chloe’s ad sponsored by:
Martins Foods
409 South St.
Front Royal
540-635-2249
Simon is a male Yellow Lab mix.
He is around 4 months old, and
has lots of puppy energy. He loves
to play ball. He is learning sit.
Simon’s ad sponsored by:
Wanda Snead
Property Management
Serving the area for 16 years
Sam Snead Realty
540-635-9753
SamSneadRealty.com
Jack is a male Lab/Newfoundland
mix. He is a year old, and is very
sweet! He is good with cats. He
knows sit, but needs some training.
Jack’s
ad sponsored by:
Little Red Dog
Pet Services
Andrea Coats
Certified Dog Trainer
540-551-0994
Sam is a female Husky/Shepherd mix.
She is around 10 months old, and is
housetrained, great with kids, but she
does jump. No cats.
Sam’s ad sponsored by:
Apple Mountain
Pet Grooming,LLC
Tangela Phillips, Certified
“Your pet is My pride and joy”
Linden, 635-2665
Call for Appointments
If you are interested in adopting one of our dogs, the adoption fee is $145 and includes the spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchip, flea/tick treatment and deworming. Thank you for your support of the
Humane Society. With your help we have been able to place thousands of animals in good homes. Contact Alison @ 540-551-2072 if you would like to become a pet sponsor too!
The news, from 29
reports that while checking on a
disabled vehicle on November 13,
2009 at approximately 1:12 a.m.,
Deputy Josh Noland observed a
1998 Ford Econoline van, maroon in
color in the right hand west bound
lane on I-66 that did not change
lanes as it approached Deputy Noland. The van had white lettering
on the side that read “Sully Station
Children’s School”. The driver of the
vehicle was Cullen Heath Kohls an
18 year old male from Centerville,
Virginia. The passenger was Devin
Tyler Rose a 19 year old male who
was from Centerville also.
Upon approaching the vehicle,
Deputy Noland noticed a strong
odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. After questioning the driver,
Deputy Noland determined that the
situation was suspicious. He then
contacted the manager of the daycare center who advised him that
there were several items missing
from the inside of the daycare and
confirmed that the van had been
stolen as well.
The two subjects were taken into
custody. Cullen Heath Kohls was
released on a $1,000 secured bond
and Devin Tyler Rose is incarcerated at the Warren County Jail.
Charges are as follows:
•
Cullen Heath Kohls - driving
under the influence, underage
possession, failure to move
over for a law enforcement officer, no operator’s license and
possession of stolen goods.
•
Devin Tyler Rose - public intoxication, underage possession, and possession of stolen
goods.
Local students inducted into
Honor Societies
Honor Society inductions were
held at Randolph-Macon Academy
on November 7, 2009 during Fall
Family Weekend.
Candidates for the National
Honor Society and National Junior
Honor Society must have an overall
GPA of 3.7 or higher, have demonstrated effective leadership, good
citizenship, teacher recommendations, and 25 hours per year of service to the community.
National Junior Honor Society:
•
Jacob Dodson, 7th grade son
of Frank and Carol Dodson of
Front Royal
•
Amy Gray, 7th grade daughter
of Richard and Patricia Gray of
Front Royal
•
Rebel Hafner, 7th grade daughter of David and Wendy Hafner
of Front Royal
•
Michaela Rodney, 7th grade
daughter of Kevin and Melinda
Rodney of Linden
Tyler Vaughan, 7th grade son of
Walter and Michele Vaughan
of Front Royal
National Honor Society:
•
Michael Brooks, sophomore
son of Kevin and Celeste
Brooks of Front Royal
•
John Christoph, sophomore
son of Dr. & Mrs. Richard
Christoph of Front Royal
•
Christopher Munden, sophomore son of Jim and Michele
Munden of Front Royal
•
Ryan Ochoa, sophomore son
of Susan and Edgar Ochoa of
Front Royal
•
Matthew Spearman, sophomore son of Norville and Lynn
Spearman of Front Royal
John Christoph, Christopher
Munden, Ryan Ochoa, and Matt
Spearman were also inducted into
the National English Honor Society. To be selected for the National
English Honor Society at RandolphMacon Academy a student must attend the Academy for at least one
semester prior to application and
have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 including an average of at least 3.7 in
Honors and AP English. They must
also have completed one semester
of Honors or AP English and display exemplary conduct and honor
and commitment to NEHS community service missions.
•
Holiday food drive
D&B Chocolates is a proud participant of the Downtown Front Royal
Hometown Holiday Food Drive. All
donations benefit the local CCAP
food bank. From Nov. 21st - Dec.
19th bring in non-perishable food
items and receive a discount off
your purchase. 1-2 non-perishable
food items receive 10% off entire
purchase. 3 or more non-perishable
food items receive 20% off entire
purchase. (Discount applied on day
the items are brought in.) Look for
other Downtown participants of the
food drive and do all your Christmas shopping for less.
Celebration of Lights
This year marks the 27th season
for the Warren Memorial Hospital
Auxiliary Celebration of Lights with
the lighting of the tree on December
1 at 7:00 p.m. The tree is located at
the main entrance of the hospital.
This worthwhile project provides
community members a chance to
honor or memorialize someone
special through donations while
helping the Auxiliary raise money
for hospital projects. The tree will
remain lit throughout the holiday
season. Everyone is welcome to attend the lighting ceremony. Music
and light refreshments will round
out the evening.
Christkindlmarkt
The Sixth Annual Christkindlmarkt, once again sponsored by
Heaven Sent Shoppe & Americana
Signs is scheduled for December
4th & 5th at the Village Commons
located at Main & Chester Streets.
At daybreak on the 4th, the folks
you’ll see transforming the Caboose
area into Front Royal’s own Winter Wonderland won’t be elves, but
rather a dedicated group of people
whose desire it is to ensure that the
commUnity has the opportunity
to experience the sights, sounds,
smells, & unique flavor of the Old
Country European Christmas
Market whose history dates back
hundreds of years to Nuernberg,
Germany where the merchants
gathered to sell their wares.
The Friday schedule includes
Singing, Drinking Hot Apple Cider, Popping Corn, joining in our
new Christmas Candy Competition
around the campfire - & sharing
stories with friends from 4 - 8 p.m.
Saturday brings a host of activities including featured Local
Woodcarver Matt Buckner, Artist
Michele Sommers, Spinning Wheel
Enthusiast Judy Pfeiffer, Quilting
by Jan Long (Belle Boyd), Pottery,
singing talents of local musicians,
& merchants offering their wares
from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
We jokingly call this our own
“Brigadoon,” because it’s there for
48 hours - then it’s gone! Please join
us to experience the ambience of
the Season! For more information,
call Maggie at 622-2060.
Christkindlmarkt is pleased to
announce that along with its other
Christkindlmarkt activities, the
Posh Pets Fashion Festival Competition is back. Rather than adding
confusion to the day, the new-improved Posh Pets criteria requires
pet owners to bring photos to Heaven Sent Shoppe by November 30th
so they can be mounted for judging
BY Christkindlmarkt attendees! Select photos (to enter) of your pets in
their holiday finest. The entry fee is
$3.00 per photo. Photos will be returned if we have your information.
Additionally, Santa will be on
hand for Paws & Claus from 1 - 3
p.m. Nick Crettier continues his
generous tradition of photographing your pets & providing the finished product. Your $7 donation
benefits the Humane Society of
Warren County. Children may also
delight in having their photo taken
with Santa. Hours for the Christmas
Market are from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. on
December 5th. For more information, call 622-2060.
The news
Lowering energy bills
As you may be aware, energy
costs are continuing to increase and
we may in store for a cold, snowy
winter. Fortunately, there are ways
to live comfortably, while lowering
your energy bills! Warren County,
Allegheny Power and Ramsey Hardware invite you to attend a free, educational program on Tuesday, December 1st at 7:00 pm in room #601
of the Warren County Government
Center (220 N. Commerce Ave.) on
practical ways to increase the energy efficiency of your home. For
more information contact Carolyn
Hathaway at [email protected] or call 540-635-4549.
Holiday ornaments
Your holiday tree won’t be complete Without the 2009 Front Royal
Visitors Center Holiday Ornament!
The Front Royal-Warren County
Visitors Center has just received its
2009 “Limited Edition”, Tree Ornament.
Embracing our “Canoe Capital of
Virginia” designation and the successful inaugural “On the River”
Festival the Visitors Center wanted
to highlight one of our biggest attractions on this year’s ornament
– the Shenandoah River. This year’s
ornament, a square tile, features
Santa Clause merrily paddling
down the Shenandoah River.
The ornaments, which are individually gift boxed, sell for just $10
each and make a great addition to
any ornament collection or a gift for
that hard to buy for someone. The
Visitors Center also is offering specials on the ornaments from previous years – 50% off one or buy five
get two free!
Stop by the Visitors Center located in the Train Depot at 414 East
Main Street, in Downtown Front
Royal to purchase your ornament.
Hurry supplies are limited!
Learn more about the Shenandoah River, our rich history and all
the resources of our community by
picking up a free copy of the Front
Royal Visitors Guide, Battle of Front
Royal Driving Tour or the Walking
Tour of Front Royal while at the
Visitors Center.
[email protected]
Warren County Report &
The Sherando Times
Holiday Shopper and
Restaurant Guide
Advertise in your FREE local community publication
ADVERTISING THAT WORKS!
Special Holiday
Offer !!
2X3 COLOR
AD ONLY
$45.00
Alison
540-551-2072
Angie
540-683-9197
Brooke
540-428-9079
Through December
Ads must be prepaid. No other discounts apply!
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Downtown Front Royal Inc.
invites you to:
November 21 – December 19, 2009
Hometown Holidays Food Drive
Bring non-perishable food items to participating
businesses in Downtown Front Royal and receive
special offers. Look for the Hometown Holidays
logo in participating store windows.
Food items will be donated to
C-CAP of Front Royal / Warren County
Saturday, November 28
Community Tree Decorating
Saturday, December 12
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Ornaments made by children from E. Wilson Morrison Elementary 2nd Grade
and the Warren County Girl Scouts will be hung
Holiday Safety Mock Fire Demonstration
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Warren County Department of Fire Rescue Services demonstrate
the importance of holiday safety with a mock fire demonstration
Winterland Workshop
By Dean’s Carriage Rides
11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Photos of your pet with Santa Claus
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Holly Berries
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Main Street Melodies
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Winterland Workshop
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Holiday Gift Wrapping
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Local DJ playing Holiday Music intermittently throughout the day
3:00 pm – 4:45 pm
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Shop locally while your supervised children enjoy a Craft Workshop ($5.00 per child)
$5.00 per person / Family/Group Package: $15.00 for four, Children 2 and under free
Bring your locally purchased gifts to be gift wrapped!
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Enjoy cheerful holiday music while enjoying
Hot Chocolate and Baked Goods being sold to benefit the choir
Hometown Holiday Wrap Up
4:30 – 5:00 pm
10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Shop local merchants for those extra special gifts!
Watch the magic happen as
Main Street and the Holiday Tree are illuminated!
Living Nativity & Choir
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Ivy Topiary Workshop
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Sponsored by Buckton Presbyterian Church
Front Royal Kiwanis Pancake Day
6:00 am – 3:00 pm
Christkindlmarkt
9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Create your own ivy topiary. Flower pot, wire frame and ivy provided.
To register email or call the DFR office. ($30.00 per person) Instructed by Sunflower Cottage LLC.
Enjoy a German style Holiday Marketplace and Winter Wonderland
Also Featuring Paws n’ Claus & Posh Pets Fashion Contest at 1:00 - 3:00 pm
and the Riverton United Methodist Hand Bells at 2:30 pm
Brought to you by Heaven Sent Shoppe & Americana Signs
Hometown Holiday Parade
Photos taken with Santa Claus
Local talent performing your favorite Rock n Roll Holiday Music
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Hometown Holiday Illumination
Artisans demonstrating and selling their crafts
Brought to you by Blue Ridge Arts Council
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Warren County Humane Society
Relax and take in the beauty of Downtown décor and architecture
while taking a horse drawn trolley ride
Warren County High School Choir
Kids n’ Claus
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Bring your locally purchased gifts to be gift wrapped!
Horse Drawn Trolley Rides
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Paws n’ Claus
Conducted by Warren County 4-H
Handmade Holiday Boutique
Winterland Workshop
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Balloon Animals & Magic
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Great fun for the kids. Presented by Presti Entertainment
4:00 pm
Local bands, businesses, organizations, dignitaries and Santa come to town!
Stonewall, South Royal, Main & Chester Streets
Bring your locally purchased gifts to be gift wrapped! ($2.00 per gift)
Most events held at the Town Commons Gazebo. Visit the Gazebo for other event location information.
Many Thanks to
our Sponsors:
Presti Entertainment
Brought to you by: Downtown Front Royal, Inc.
540.631.0099 [email protected]
Valley Finds
DowntownFrontRoyal.org
A non-profit organization
working to create a vibrant
Downtown Community

River City politics get nasty - Warren County Report Newspaper

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