28-PAGE VIRGINIA GOLD CUP PREVIEW SECTION INSIDE
May 1, 2019
Our 202nd year | Vol. 202, No. 18 | www.Fauquier.com | $1.50
Brumfield Elementary wetlands project to begin this summer By Robin Earl
Times Staff Writer
In a cooperative effort between the Town of Warrenton, Fauquier County — and nature — a half-acre triangle of grassy land adjacent to Brumfield Elementary School will be transformed into a wetlands area. A nearly $200,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will pay for the project. Construction will
begin when school lets out for the summer. The land chosen for the project, which is now a relatively flat piece of grassy land, will be graded to create shallow pools of varying depths; the natural flow of water will be slowed by the levels and by different kinds of vegetation that will be planted in the area. Andrew Hopewell, assistant chief of planning for Fauquier County’s Department of Community Development, and the county’s MS4 stormwater
program coordinator, said that the water that ends up in the area through rain and through runoff from nearby parking lots will take a more circuitous route on its way to waterways. When the runoff is slowed down, it gives the water a chance to be absorbed into the ground. “Nutrients [like phosphorous and nitrogen] will be taken up by the plants and won’t wind up in the waterways.”
See WETLANDS, Page 4
Liberty’s photo booth brought out the drama and caught it on camera. TIMES STAFF PHOTO/ ROBIN EARL
Prom weekend: After-prom parties feature inflatables, food, prizes In an effort to keep local teenagers safe and off the roads following Saturday’s prom, all three public high schools — Kettle Run, Fauquier and Liberty — hosted after-prom parties. The midnight to 4 a.m. events lured students by INSIDE Business.............................................11 Classified............................................58 Communities......................................54 Faith...................................................52
including active games, food and prizes for everyone. Every year, parents and teachers take on the massive project to give students a safe place to celebrate. Local businesses and individuals donate funds and supplies to make it happen. More photos on page 2.
Health and Wellness............................47 Lifestyle..............................................49 Opinion.................................................9 Obituaries...........................................57
New Virginia law removes age cap on autism coverage By Karen Chaffraix Times Staff Writer
In Virginia, as of Jan. 1, 2020, all individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder will be able to secure health insurance for life. This is good news to parents of children with autism, as well as adults living with autism; until now, those with autism were guaranteed insurance coverage only until they turned 10 years old. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, autism affects 1 in 59 children across the U.S., and the rate is growing at 15 percent per year. Nearly 10,000 Virginians currently live with an autism spectrum diagnosis, according to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s press release. Autism spectrum disorder is considered a life-long developmental disability. Virginia passed a law in 2011 that mandated insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment of ASD between the ages of 2 (generally the earliest the disease can be reliably diagnosed) and 6. In 2015, the General Assembly passed legislation that
See AUTISM, Page 6
Puzzles...............................................13 Real Estate..........................................53 Sports.................................................14 Virginia Gold Cup................................19