Mid February 2016 Warren and Frederick County Report

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Volume X1, Issue 3 路 Mid February, 2016

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Page • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

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Coyotes rattling cages at Smithsonian facility

Dama gazelles. Native to the Sahara Desert in Africa, the small and swift deer-like creature is white with brown markings. Its population has waned due to loss of habitat and overhunting.

Photo Credit-Kazuaki Nippashi

By Teresa Brumback Warren & Frederick County Report This story comes with a warning that it may be offensive to some readers. Smithsonian zoo officials are planning to hunt down the pack of coyotes that are believed to have killed a cute and rare, endangered gazelle, one of just 200 left worldwide.

January’s major snowstorm was a major blow to the first-ever coyote eradication effort at the local zoo, known as the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, a 3,200-acre compound on Remount Road in Front Royal. A bit on the mysterious side, it is closed to everyone but scientists and their staff except for one day each fall when it’s open for public tours.

“Everything has stalled with the storm,” said Pamela Baker-Masson, the institute’s spokesman in D.C. The institute is a retreat for rare and endangered animals where they are researched and bred. It is part of the Washington National Zoo, home to the famous black and white pandas.

“We’re just working out the details for an organized hunt. It will not be open to anyone in the public, but rather it will be a contracted job through the US Department of Agriculture, under its invasive species

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“This pack will return. We know there are coyotes all over and that they are territorial,” the spokesman said.

“By studying tracks officials determined it was a pack of coyotes that got under a gap in a chain-link fenced gate and killed a dama gazelle. Native to the Sahara Desert in Africa, the small and swift deer-like creature is white with brown markings. Its population has waned due to loss of habitat and overhunting,” said BakerMasson.

The gazelle was fatally attacked last October; the first time the Smithsonian facility had ever encountered a coyote. Since the attack, the zoo has been working to secure all the fencing and gates, which it recently finished. Additionally, it has changed how it rotates animals from fields to fenced in yards and barns so that the animals aren’t out at night. They will continue to monitor the fences.

“The animal collection is not threatened,” she added.

This writer is disclosing a bias against the coyote. I have had personal experience with coyotes and while I understand the sentimental people who enjoy hearing them howl from fields and hollers away into the night, reminding them of the Old West, the fact is that this is the East, and they just don’t belong here. How they got here in the first place is a mystery but officials with Game and Inland Fisheries tell me that they started showing up here in significant numbers in the 1990s, having migrated from the West.

They have been in the news re-

cently with sightings in the suburbs of Northern Virginia. I believe if their numbers aren’t controlled soon there will eventually be a major public health problem, though official websites play down the possibility of rabies or any such epidemic springing up from uncontrolled coyote populations.

But it may be hard to convince an animal-loving public that the coyote is a threat.

People fondly remember Wile E. Coyote of Warner Brothers cartoons as the slick character who outwitted all his hunters. I only remember

him as the hunched-over figure a few years ago who appeared during the day out of nowhere and lurked on my porch momentarily, before vanishing.

I remember him as the culprit who devoured not one but two of my favorite guinea hens last summer.

Both had nests with eggs. Nothing but feathers and coyote fur, tracks and poop were left behind. That coyote was history. I’ll let it go at that.

And let’s not forget the time a pack of coyotes—four to five of them—surrounded our beautiful Walker Hound in the corner of my yard until we scared them off. Again, it was during the day. My boyfriend recalls taking a nap in his truck in the George Washington National Forest on his way to work. He woke up to find a pack of coyotes surrounding his truck. That was during the afternoon.

We have ample evidence that coyotes are around continuously, despite our best efforts and those of experienced hunters and trappers to get them. As the Smithsonian experts readily acknowledge, once the coyotes kill something they will keep coming back to attack more prey. After a neighbor and I and other farmers testified before the Page County Board of Supervisors a few years ago about the coyote problem, they finally reenacted a coyote bounty in line with what Warren County and other neighboring jurisdictions had in place for years.

In the mid to late 1990s the late Stuart Rudacille was the most passionate, albeit lone voice on the Warren County Board of Supervisors warning about the coyote. He had personal experience with them having attacked his sheep. Rudacille was right about that and a lot of other things.

I’ve seen brownish-grey coyotes that resemble dogs with pointy ears.

I’ve talked to many hunters includ-

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ing sources with Game and Inland Fisheries who are convinced they are now finding coyotes that have bred with wolves. Their offspring are huge and even more vicious than the pure coyote.

In spite of their wanton and vicious attacks on livestock and pets, the coyotes do appear to have some redeeming qualities. I personally dread hearing them in packs but to someone with no experience with them, their howls can be a haunting, unusual sound in the night. They have different types of calls, from a dog howling to a baby wailing to the sound of a band of Indians at war in an old televised Western. Biologists will point out the coyote’s good attributes of killing rodents. But then so do foxes and hawks and bobcats and more.

The coyote is at the top of the food chain. It has no natural predators except for man.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ website with its section on coyotes was not working when I checked, but Fairfax County had a section on its website devoted to coyotes. It says that coyotes are 2.5 to 3.5 feet long, stand as tall as a medium-sized dog and weigh 30 to 45 pounds. Body color ranges from grayish-brown, to yellow-brown, to reddish-brown and tan with a short bush tail and yellow or orange eyes.

Coyotes “generally pose little threat to humans, their property or pets,” it says.

“Coyotes have been known in some cases, to prey on small domestic animals. It is always advisable to feed pets indoors and to keep small pets inside or securely penned at night.”

It goes on to state that they are primarily nocturnal. However, they can become increasingly active during the day in urban areas.

– brumback@areaguides.com

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Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page

Supervisors approve funding for renovation at Ressie Jeffries

By Timothy Ratigan Warren & Frederick County Report Warren County Board of Supervisors voted to send two resolutions to the State Senate and two resolutions to the House of Delegates to oppose bills establishing a Limited Residential Lodging Act. If approved these bills would allow short-term tourist rentals as a by-right use in gated community.

By approving the consent agenda, the county will send the resolutions to state representatives in both the house and state senate for the legislation year 2016.

These would affect local governmental operations.

In the recent past the county spent a large amount of time and effort dealing with short-term tourist rental applications. Some of these applications ignited opposition by neighbors of the affected properties such as the historic Mint House. Property owners fought for the right to rent their houses for

income. Warren’s code says a conditional-use permit is required for shortterm tourist rentals on properties in agricultural or residential (R-1) zoning districts. If the use was deemed byright, short-term tourist rentals would be allowed in gated communities and in close proximity to other homes. The resolution, if passed, would take away zoning authority’s authority to require a conditional-use permit for such a use in a residential zoning district.

The sponsor of House Bill 812 was Del. Christopher K. Peace, a Republican from Mechanicsville. Delegate Scott W. Taylor, a Republican from Virginia Beach sponsored House Bill 1268.

Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel, a Republican from Upperville, sponsored Senate Bill 216 and Senator Bill R. DeSteph Jr., a Republican from Virginia Beach Sponsored Senate Bill 751.

The staff of Warren County Government recommended that the County Board of Supervisors send the resolution of opposition to State Senator

Mark Obenshain, Republican from Harrisonburg, and Delegates C. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock; Michael Webert, R-Marshall: and Christopher Collins, R-Winchester.

The board also adopted a resolution asking the local representatives to oppose Senate Bill 629, a bill sponsored

by Senator William Stanley Jr., R-Moneta. This bill if passed would prohibit any locality from forbidding or requiring a special-use permit for camping by the land owner for his/her family or nonpaying guest for no more than two months per year. The county code currently allows the use by-right in the agricultural zoning district but does require a conditional-use permit for private camping in residential areas.

The Board adopted resolutions asking the local State Representatives to support several bills that would benefit the county. House Bills 85 and 1192 Sponsored by Delegates Jeffery L. Campbell, R-Marion, and Kathleen J. Murphy, D-McLean. These two bills

would allow any county to charge a tax on cigarettes. At the current time State code allows only cities and towns and the two counties of Arlington and Fairfax to charge a tax on cigarettes. The money collected from this tax on cigarettes if passed would go for education and for fire and rescue.

Prior to the meeting the money collected was slated for only education until Shenandoah Supervisor Tom Sayre moved to add fire and rescue as potential recipients of the taxes collected from cigarettes.

The board also requested a resolution that the General Assembly amend House Bill 182. This bill was sponsored

by Delegate J. Randall Minchew, RLeesburg. This amendment would add Warren County to the list of localities under the state code that can charge an additional hotel tax, of up to 3 percent. If passed this would allow Warren County to increase its hotel tax 5 percent. The County plans to use the revenue from the additional tax for tourism efforts.

The board also voted to adopt resolution opposing Senate Bill 597. SB 597 deals with appeals to the circuit court on tax assessments. If passed, after July 1st the tax payer would have the option of having a jury trial. At the present time the Commissioner of Revenue handles the appeals.

Warren’s Assistant County Attorney Dan N. Whitten said that the problem with having a jury trial to settle tax assessment issues is that the juries are not traditional experts in property assessment, which would lead to more circuit court. Another point Whitten made was that juries would not be able to ask questions or familiarize themselves with the properties in questions enough to be as knowledgeable as the commissioners would be.

Fork District Supervisor Archie Fox raised the concern that this could become another unfunded state mandate.

Whitten replied that the citizens appealing the assessments could get the idea that it would be easier to convince a jury than the commissioner and potentially flood the circuit court with

appeals which would lead to more cost for the county. North River Supervisor Dan Murray expressed concerns that this would over complicate things.

“The system already works that is in place. It doesn’t make sense to add more complications. We already have too many regulations in place. To add more doesn’t make sense. We need to make it clearer and easier not harder.

This would complicate things and stretch everything out. We don’t need to add another step,” he said.

The vote to send the resolution to oppose SB 597 passed on a 5-0 vote.

One other item was brought up at the board meeting. A request and consideration of Resolution for 2016 Qualified Energy Conservation Bond, financed through Virginia Resources Authority and Energy Performance Agreement with Cleansource Capital, LLC, and acceptance of financial bid for energy saving projects at Warren County School facilities.

A large portion of the funds is slated to be used for much needed improvements on the aging Ressie Jeffries Elementary School. Plans include: installing a security vestibule; construction of a new pitched roof; installing new energy efficient lights and low flow toilets and sinks; and bringing in a HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) unit for the whole building. There are plans to add additional parking to the campus as well. The funding discussed at this meeting would not include the complete renovation of the school, just the projects listed. Additional funding would need to be raised for rest of the renovation of the school and the work would be done over the summer months. Because of the shortened summer breaks scheduled, the estimated time for completion of the projects would be over two summers.

North River Supervisor Dan Murray made the motion to approve the resolution. The motion carried with a 5-0 vote. The Board then adjourned in order to go into closed session.

– tim@areaguides.com

Page • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

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Town appoints Christendom College alumnus Jacob Meza to Council Meza spoke at the Warren County Republican Committee meeting later that week

Newly appointed Front Royal Town Councilman Jacob Meza visits the Warren County Republican Committee meeting.

By Timothy Ratigan Warren & Frederick County Report In the summer of 1979 the Town of Front Royal opened its doors to a new Roman Catholic college; a small, not yet accredited Liberal Arts college that chose to settle on the banks of the historic Shenandoah River.

Now, 37 years later, we can see what Christendom College has brought us.

Many alumni have served on boards such as the planning commission and the Economic Development Authority and now we have two Christendom College alumni serving on Front Royal Town Council; John Connolly and newly appointed Jacob Meza.

In the beginning, many residents were wary of the new college and what it would mean for the community, and in the early days the new college had to deal with some harassment and vandalism to their property. I can remember as a teenager driving by the new college and

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seeing the graffiti spray-painted on the trailers that served as the women’s dorms.

Now there is a thriving Catholic Community that grows every year.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at Main and Luray Ave. has benefited the most with hundreds of families and over three thousand parishioners. Several businesses have opened up that are owned by alumni from the college, most notably the Petrine Construction Company (formerly

William Sealock joined the Warren County Republican Committee in preparation for his town council campaign for the November 2016 elections.

Kelly Falls). College graduates have chosen to stay and make their lives here in Front Royal adding to the town’s population and the tax base.

With that in mind, on January 25 at the regular scheduled meeting of the Front Royal Town Council, they waited until the last item on the agenda to vote to appoint Jacob Meza, a Front Royal citizen, and Christendom College graduate to fill the remainder of former Council member, Daryl L. Funk’s term after

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he resigned to assume his duties as circuit court clerk.

Councilwoman Bébhinn Egger wasted no time in putting forth his name. Council clerk Jennifer Berry had barely finished reading off the

motion when Egger spoke up.

She said, “Mr. Mayor, I move that council appoint Jacob Meza as member of town council to fill the unexpired term caused by the vacancy of former member Daryl L. Funk, who resigned effective December 31, 2015, said term to expire December 31, 2016.”

Councilman John Connolly immediately seconded the motion. Then Mayor Timothy Darr asked for discussion.

Councilman Eugene Tewalt said, “Yes, Mr. Mayor, I cannot support Mr. Meza. I think we have had better candidates put their applications in. We have had men and women in who were more qualified. There are people who have lived in Front Royal for a long time. We should give them the opportunity and not someone who has just moved here in the last several years. I know that I have heard rumors saying that they have new ideas. I think that people that have lived in Front Royal have good

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ideas and I think we need to consider those people before we pick someone who has just moved into the area.”

Egger added, “Mr. Mayor I would like to thank everybody who applied for this spot. We had 12 applicants and everybody brought something different to the table. We had applicants from all different walks of life. And it was very encouraging to see so many people interested in this spot. I hope we have 12 people running in November for the election.

And hopefully more than that two years later. I think we have a bright future here in Front Royal. And I am looking forward to that future.”

When the vote was taken, it was 2 to 3, with Connolly, Egger, and Hrbek voting yes and Tewalt and Tharpe voting no.

Who is Jacob Meza?

Meza, 33, like his colleague Connolly, is a graduate of Christendom College. He is also a member of the Front Royal Planning Commission, having been appointed to the commission roughly four months ago,

but there is no word about when or if Meza will give up his seat on the planning commission. Meza also serves as director for Valley Health’s Urgent Care clinic on Commerce Ave. which will be relocating to the Riverton Commons in the U.S. 340522 Corridor, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from some Front Royal residents.

Meza hails from Red Bluff, a town near Sacramento, California. He relocated to Front Royal in 2001 to attend Christendom College until 2005, where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics. Meza later received his master’s degree in business administration through Benedictine College in Kansas and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. In 2010 Meza moved back to Front Royal after getting his master’s degree. He is married with four children and at his appearance at the Warren County Republican Committee he made the point of stating that he plans on being in the area for “a while”.

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page

Councilman Jacob Meza attends his first official Front Royal Town Council work session.

The newly appointed councilman was not present at the council meeting, however he made an appearance at the monthly Republican meeting at the community center later that week. It should be noted that Meza is not a member of the Republican Committee, but the chairman of the Republican Committee, Steve Kurtz, addressed him by his first name and asked him to speak about his appointment to the council.

While Meza has given no indication that he is planning for a run for the council seat he was appointed to, it does raise some questions.

Why did he visit the WCRC meeting just three short days after his appointment to the council? Is he planning a run and does he have his eyes on one of the coveted endorsements that the WCRC will be giving out, again according the Committee Chair Kurtz, even though no official vote has been taken? If Meza, who has served on the planning commission merely four months before moving on to the town council, is seeking one of those endorsements, he will have to stand in line because people are already lining up for them.

Front Royal resident William Sealock, who also serves on the board of the Warren County Economic Development Authority, made an appearance at the same WCRC meeting and joined. I caught up with Sealock and asked him some direct questions regarding the rumors that he was running for Town Council. He replied that he was running for Town Council and that he joined the committee in preparation for his campaign and that he would be seeking an endorsement from the WCRC. So already the race for the council is heating up and it appears to be centered around the WCRC. The WCRC endorsed three candidates for town council in the 2014 Town Council elections; Councilman Connolly, Vice Mayor Tharpe and Councilwoman Bébhinn Egger.

All three candidates won their elections by obtaining the Republican vote as a result of the endorsement and financial backing of the WCRC. Can we expect a repeat of 2014?

– tim@areaguides.com

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Page • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

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Recent snow just the tip of the iceberg, almanac says Possibility for wetter, heavier snow with more inches in late February, it predicts

At left: The first soft snowflakes of the winter storm named Jonas, later changed to Killer, started to fall and the south fork of the Shenandoah River lay peacefully under the light coating. Middle: Later that night at 9:20 p.m., it had collected many more inches. Right: In less than 24 hours, the entire landscape had changed, bringing a major snowfall of around 24 inches in less than 24 hours to our area. Mario Orlikoff recorded the progression in these photos taken on the south fork of the Shenandoah River, starting from Friday afternoon, Jan. 22, to Saturday morning, Jan. 23. Photos by Mario Orlikoff.

By Teresa Brumback Warren & Frederick County Report Slush, mud and a few inches of snow are all that remain from January’s monster snowstorm that pounded the area, blocking roads, homes and businesses and keeping many commuters and happy schoolchildren comfy at home for days.

But just when you finished putting away the memories, the snow shovels and snow blowers, along comes a publication that stops you dead in your tracks. It predicts the worst is yet to come.

Hailed as a gardener and weather watcher’s best friend, while scorned as folklore and balderdash by others, it’s one of the old timey farmer’s almanacs commonly sold in this area.

J. Gruber’s “Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack.

For the Year of Our Lord 2016, 16 Months of Weather Forecasts” accurately predicted “heavy snow” Jan. 19

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and 20 for the Mid-Atlantic region which includes Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey.

“I missed it by a day or two,” conceded its weather forecaster Bill O’Toole, of Emmitsburg, a retired math professor from Mount St. Mary’s College, adding “But it’s pretty good since I wrote it back in June.”

According to O’Toole, who has been tracking weather for the Town and Country Almanack since 1969, February’s “Nor’easter” which he expects to hit here Feb. 20 and 21, could make January’s record snowstorm seem like a day in the park.

The Nor’easter as it mixes coastal air with cold air from Canada, produces the most severe winter weather.

February is less likely to produce the dry, fluffy snow that fell in January. “As you get later in winter there’s a better chance for a wet snow,” says O’Toole, noting that winds will be stronger as well. As most know, the wet snow and high winds are a dan-

gerous combination that can easily snap heavy tree limbs and power lines, causing major power outages that can last days.

O’Toole shudders to think of all this playing out with the Nor’easter he sees coming Feb. 20 and 21.

“I’d give it a better than 50-50 chance,” he says finally. Overall he claims his accuracy over the years with the Hagerstown almanac to be 56 to 57percent. It’s better than a random guess, which would have a 25 percent of success, he notes.

“I can say one thing. The second half of this winter will be worse than the first half. It could last through March.”

O’Toole says he believes in global warming, as a natural weather event worsened by humans. This explains a lot of the strange weather such as summer temperatures this past December in this area when it’s normally freezing.

Conversely, summers used to be

marked by long droughts. But last summer in contrast was pleasant, with balmy days and periodic rains perfect for grass, hay and gardens here.

Now we can expect a hot and humid summer interrupted by long dry spells, predicts O’Toole.

The Hagerstown almanac has been around with its funny-spelled full name with almanac ending in “ck” and a hyphen in Hagerstown since 1797, not too shabby for a magazine in this Internet age. In fact, it’s the second oldest almanac in existence and the 39th oldest existing business in America, says Jerry Spessard, publisher and one of the owners of the sixth generation family that has owned it. It sells for $5.25.

House Passes ‘Tebow Bill’ to Help Home-Schoolers

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Included are predictions of the weather as well as best days for weeding, planting and harvesting. There are odds and ends such as hints for the handyman, the unexpected costs of driving, six things to always have in the car, and “timely thoughts and reflections.” Without explaining why, the almanac also includes a large firtree shaped multiplication table on its back cover.

But its bread and butter is its conjecture of the weather and other astronomical information.

So just how does it work?

It’s based on the Herschel weather chart in the year 1600, which relates the weather to the phases of the moon, says O’Toole. The chart was brought to America by the early set-

For the third year in a row, the Virginia House of Delegates has passed a version of the “Tebow bill,” opening the door for home-schooled students to participate in after-school sports and other activities sponsored by their local public schools.

The House on Wednesday voted 5841 in favor of the legislation, nicknamed for star quarterback Tim Tebow, who excelled playing high school football in Florida in the early 2000s while being home-schooled.

House Bill 131, sponsored by Del. Robert Bell, R-Charlottesville, would prohibit Virginia public schools from joining interscholastic organizations that ban home-schoolers from participating. This would put pressure on the Virginia High School League to allow home-schooled students. The bill does not require local school boards to let home-schooled students participate in sports or other activities.

The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers supports such initiatives.

“There is a group of young, hard-

working, disciplined, American citizens, who are discriminated against because they choose to home educate,” Joshua Pratt, a Campbell County resident and father of a home-schooled ninth-grader, said in testimony on the group’s website.

According to Pratt, his son Micah can’t compete in state cross country competitions, despite excelling in the sport in privately held competitions.

“This is wrong and should be changed.”

Bell said HB 131 would apply only to home-schooled students who meet age and academic requirements. It would not guarantee that those who try out will make the cut. Bell emphasized that the bill would allow students to play sports only within the school district that they would have attended if they were in public school.

He also said that it will be up to localities to determine if they want to let home-schoolers participate.

“If Madison County said, ‘We want our home-schoolers; we need them for the team,’ and Greene County said, ‘We don’t want ours,’ Greene County would have none and Madison County would have theirs,” Bell said.

Mid February, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ Warren & Frederick County Report â&#x20AC;˘ Page

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com tlers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more like astrology. I think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an actual physical reason for its predictions. The moon has more influence on the earth than the sun or any other heavenly body,â&#x20AC;?

explains Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Toole.

Just as the oceans respond to the moon with high and low tides, so do the land masses respond to the pull of the moon, he says.

To do his predictions he uses a

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lot of math and algebra along with his studies of the chart and weather trends. In recent decades, he says he noticed that the biggest storms were in a year ending in â&#x20AC;&#x153;sixâ&#x20AC;? just as an odd coincidence. At the end of January 1966, the area saw snow up to 2.5 feet with winds so strong they created 20foot drifts. In early 1996, snows were recorded from three feet up to 44 inches in Emmitsburg, he says. It was a wet snow with high winds followed by rain and another foot of snow later.

This year in 2016 snow of three feet and more was recordedâ&#x20AC;Ś.

The Herschel chart, he says, would be extremely accurate predictor of weather if it were not for the wild cards of El Nino and sun spots getting in the way.

El Nino, an abnormal warming of Pacific water in winter, is increasing in frequency, says Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Toole. He also blames it for getting some of his predictions wrong up until January. For example, he predicted a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Norâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;easterâ&#x20AC;? with heavy snow Dec. 10-11, and

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The cover of J. Gruberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack. The Hagerstown almanac has been around with its funny-spelled full name with almanac ending in â&#x20AC;&#x153;ckâ&#x20AC;? and a hyphen in Hagerstown since 1797.

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heavy snow Dec. 29-30. Instead this area saw warm temperatures throughout most of December.

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March is predicted to have snow off and on through the month along with rain showers. March 2-4 is expected to have some snow in the northern part of the region, with snow from the Great Lakes on March 17-18 when it gets windy and colder with lake-related snow expected again on

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Page • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

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New Mexican Restaurant opens; hot food meets cold winter Front Royal’s El Maguey aims to take off where “Wings to Go” did not

El Maguey’s Manager Tony Papaqui, poses with Kayla Merritt and Bradley Wyatt, two members of his fine staff in front of the newest restaurant in the Royal Plaza shopping center, at 433 South Street.

By Teresa Brumback Warren County Report

El Maguey Mexican restaurant opened two months ago at 433 South Street in Front Royal, in the Royal Plaza shopping center in the place where the restaurant specializing in various types of chicken wings operated.

El Maguey aims to take off where “Wings to Go” did not. The Mexican restaurant opened two months ago in the place where the restaurant specializing in various types of chicken wings operated.

The restaurant is at 433 South Street in Front Royal, in the Martin’s shopping center next to Peebles’ clothing store. El Maguey’s menu is similar to its big sister Los Potrillos in River Commons Plaza, not far from Starbucks and Roy Rogers.

The two restaurants are owned by brothers Samuel and Arturo Munoz.

El Maguey is managed by Tony Papaqui, a native of Mexico City who describes this as “authentic Mexican food.” Some dishes are even cooked the old way on stone. Others such as the fajitas, are grilled and served sizzling, with meat and vegetables beautifully charred. I had the beef fajitas on a day when I waltzed in and everything on the lunch menu was just $4.99. It was one of the nice surprises you get when you go to this restaurant. Normally, a different item each day is reduced to $4.99 at lunchtime.

The fajitas are my all-time favorite. Here they come in either chicken or beef. At dinner you can get them with seafood. The beef is top quality, plump and tender. The beef was

served nicely with onions, red and green peppers and tomatoes. I’ve been to Mexican restaurants where sadly, they leave out the tomatoes in the fajita mixture.

The fajitas are served with two steamy flour tortillas and a generous helping of Mexican rice and simple guacamole salad atop shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. I love guacamole. Theirs is superb. It’s a sturdy mixture, with big chunks of avocado probably mixed with sour cream and studded with bits of tomatoes. Best of all, they are not afraid to use onions and garlic in their guacamole the way many restaurants are.

The fajitas were served on a black iron skillet shaped like a chili pepper surrounded by wood. You can be talking to your companion but when you hear the sound of the sizzle coming down the aisle your heart starts to pound and your head starts to turn. It’s that sound that arrives first before the other senses are piqued.

El Maguey needs some work on their sign. Part of the lettering on the bottom is obscured. If it’s permitted, a brightly colored neon sign—maybe with a cactus or something, would be more eye catching.

I worry that if they don’t do something with their sign, then few people besides shoppers and people working in the shopping center will find out about this lovely little restaurant where the staff are friendly, prompt

and efficient and the food is tasty and affordable.

“It’s coming along little by little” says Papaqui about the restaurant’s progress. Soon he hopes to have more decorations inside. Papaqui clearly loves his work. He worked his way up to manager after starting as a dishwasher when he was just 13 in Mexico City.

He is proud that El Maguey offers more than 15 sauces with varying shades of brown and red and levels of heat.

When you are seated the server brings a big bowl of tortilla chips and two types of sauce—a red salsa and a white sauce that is best described as a sweet ranch dip-Mexican style. The salsa is not runny the way many are.

It has texture and chopped tomatoes along with fresh onions and cilantro-that staple herb of Mexican cuisine that is also used in a lot of Asian cooking. It’s an herb that doesn’t taste like anything else but it just gives a bright flavor to anything it touches.

Lunches range from $4.99 to $7.75 and dinners are around $8.50 to $13.99.

For dinner one night I had the Pollo Chipotle, a pounded chicken breast that had been marinated and charcoal grilled, then covered with a delicious brown gravy that has the chipotle pepper as the star ingredient; the rest of the recipe is kept a house secret. It was wonderful and as

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com with everything I’ve tried at El Maguey, just the right amount of heat but not too spicy. I detected smoky cumin in the sauce.

It was served with Mexican mashed potatoes—yes, Mexican, and very flavorful—and Mexican rice. I would

have preferred just the mashed potatoes and their wonderful guacamole salad as the two starches in the dish were too much.

Another dish looked intriguing though I haven’t tried it yet. It’s the Pollo Yucatan with grilled chicken,

squash, zucchini pineapple and green peppers over rice, covered with cheese and served with rice and lettuce, tomato and guacamole salad, all for $10.99.

El Maguey also has a medley of seafood entrees and fish tacos made

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page with tilapia and served with pico de gallo.

Most of the meals are huge, leaving you with enough to take home. That is always a good thing.

One day when I wasn’t so hungry I tried just one chimichanga with grilled chicken, a flour tortilla stuffed with white meat chicken and either grilled or deep fried. It was blanketed in a delicious white cheese sauce. It wasn’t on the a la carte menu but they charged me around $4. I also had a pork tamale for just 2.50. What a great deal! It could be a great affordable lunch on-the-go. It had a steamed cornbread exterior and a spicy filling of pork and enchilada sauce. It can be served in the corn husk upon request.

Desserts include a wonderful fried ice cream with vanilla ice cream that doesn’t seem to melt at just $3.50. It is enrobed in crushed corn flakes, drenched in chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry. It could easily feed three people.

The restaurant has a full bar and specializes in margaritas, either on the rocks or frozen, at just $1.99 for a 12-ounce glass all day long on Thursdays. All Mexican beer is $1 off on Thursdays.

John Kovac will play the harp on Mondays from 6-8 p.m. when he returns from his annual winter vacationing in Guatemala. The restaurant is considering also offering salsa dancing after-hours.

The restaurant is painted is bright tangerine and raspberry colors with arched openings between the aisles of booths. Seating is available for 97.

The booths are big and comfy, with polished hardwood tables.

El Maguey is open Monday through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call (540) 3608.

– brumback@areaguides.com

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Page 10 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com

Town citizen raises questions about fate of former councilman’s iPad Town Manager and Mayor give a post blizzard report to the council

By Timothy Ratigan Warren & Frederick County Report At the January 25th town council meeting, Front Royal resident and business owner Mike McCool spoke in front of the council expressing his concerns about former Councilman Daryl Funk’s request to buy the iPad that was provided to him during his term on Town Council for $320.

“I have a question on the consent agenda that you put on in the last work session. This is in reference to the iPad that you are selling to Daryl Funk. I can appreciate his service and typically when someone leaves the business they can take their goodies along with them. But you are getting ready to appoint another councilmember who is going to need an iPad. You are going to sell this one for three hundred and some odd dollars and then you are going to turn around the next day and buy another one for five hundred and some dollars. This just doesn’t make good sense. I mean you are

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stewards of our money and here you are wasting two hundred dollars. If you can’t take care of $200 how are

you doing to take care of $200,000 or $2,000,000? I understand the reason but I think it is short sighted and it sets a bad example. Daryl has himself done a really good job. I think he can afford a new iPad. It would be one thing if these iPads were at their end of life, but they are not. We just bought these a year or so ago. They are still viable and usable and I think you need to reconsider this,” McCool said during the public presentation section of the meeting.

Councilman John Connolly requested that the item regarding the sale of the iPad be removed for discussion.

“Mr. Mayor I just want to say that I will be voting in favor of this measure this evening. These things do depreciate at a fairly fast rate based on my experience and these are going in their third year and as long as we are getting fair market value, this is something that is not wrong to the taxpayers or the coffers,” he said.

Hearing no further discussion, the mayor called for vote. The vote was

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over 100 service calls over the weekend. Most of them were weather related such as traffic accidents and vehicles stuck on the road,” he said.

Burke’s report included: Town crews continued to work on widening the streets and providing access to emergency response vehicles. They cooperated with Warren County Fire and Rescue and Front Royal Police department, helping provide necessary access.

The town continues to work on clearing the roads. Happy Creek Trail has been cleared and opened from Main Street to Criser Road.

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4-1 in favor, with Vice Mayor Hollis Tharpe voting against the measure.

Earlier in the meeting, Town Manager Steven Burke and Mayor Timothy Darr gave a report on the town actions during and after the recent “Blizzard of 2016”.

Burke thanked all the town employees and departments for their hard work during and after the blizzard.

“Our department of environmental services has utilized all divisions to plow and remove snow from our streets. In addition, our water and sewer departments responded to three water breaks during the storm, our energy services have also assisted in snow removal and they responded to a small weather related outage on Sunday night after the storm. Our police department has responded to

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The town has coordinated with the school system to make sure the roads have been widened for student safety before schools reopen.

Leach Run Parkway contractors cleared the entire length of the work site so that work could continue, and they were continuing to relocate utility poles along Happy Creek Road

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that are necessary for the Parkway.

The Economic Development Authority, town and county are working getting plans to Virginia Department of Transportation for the industrial access grant for the Main Street extension to the Avtex site.

The town and county are continuing to work on an online building permitting process that will someday allow residents and contractors to submit permit applications simul-

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This reporter took the time to do some exploring on his own regarding this type of safe zones. Not surprisingly, this idea is not new and is growing in popularity across the country in towns and cities such as Bellingham, Massachusetts; Sibley, Iowa; and Lake Delton, Wisconsin.

After asking Front Royalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief of Police, Norman Shiflett, if this is something he could see happening in Front Royal in the future, he replied that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that could be looked at when the new police station was built.

Some items on the consent agenda the council approved and passed on a 5-0 vote were: Memorandum of Agreement for Video Equipment in the Board Room at the Government Center Bid for Technical Services for IT Networking and Infrastructure Purchase of a pickup truck for water/sewer maintenance department Resolution for Future Power Block Purchases for 2021-2024 with American Municipal Power (AMP) Other items that passed on a 5-0 vote were: a budget amendment and acceptance of a rebate from Moretz Consulting for maintenance on the Electric Vehicle DC Fast Charger; and acceptance of a donation for the New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Even Front Royal Event of $100 from Ramsey Hardware.

They also appointed Councilwoman Egger and Councilman Connolly to the Front Royal Scholarship Committee.

The last item voted on at the meeting was the appointment of Jacob Meza to the town council to fill the unfulfilled term left open by former Councilman Daryl Funk after his resignation on December 31st 2015 to assume his duties as circuit clerk of court.

Mesa was appointed to the council by a 3-2 vote, with Councilmen Eugene Tewalt and Hollis Tharpe voting against. With no further business, the mayor adjourned the meeting. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tim@areaguides.com

Page 12 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

Warren County Report Dog show raffle tickets available now!

The Humane Society of Warren County is currently selling Westminster Dog Show raffle tickets. Tickets are $10 for a 1 in 199 chance to win $350 cash!! Each ticket number will be randomly assigned to a dog breed from the Westminster Dog Show.

Check your number on the Humane Society’s Facebook page and watch the dog show February 15th and 16th to see if your breed wins! The winners will be announced on February 17th, 2016. Tickets are available at the animal shelter located at 1245 Progress Drive, Front Royal.

Community Center Ballet I This class is a wonderful way for a child to experience the basics of ballet without a yearlong commitment.

It affords them the opportunity to learn the basic ballet positions, terminology, skill building, movement through music and getting creative with kids their age.

This class is designed for the beginner or the first/second year dance student and open to both boys and

girls, ages 4-9 years. The session will be held February 24, 2016 through March 30, 2016. Classes will be held Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. at the RES Youth Center, 200 E. 8th Street, Front Royal. The cost is $55.00 per participant for the 6 week session. Minimum of 5 students are needed in order to hold the class.

For more information regarding class instruction, please email zumba.lizi@gmail.com. Registration information can be obtained by contacting the Warren County Community Center at (540) 635-1021.

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com Community Center closing early on Friday, February 12 The Warren County Community Center will be closed on Friday, February 12 to the general public, beginning at 5:00 p.m., so the Warren County Parks and Recreation Department can host their Mother-Son date night for the registered participants. The Community Center will re-open, Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 8:00 a.m.

sion meets formally once a month and in work sessions as needed. If you are interested in serving on the Planning Commission, please complete an application or resume and send, with a cover letter, to Clerk of Council Jennifer Berry at jberry@ frontroyalva.com or mail to Mayor & Town Council, P.O. Box 1560, Front Royal, Virginia 22630. Application forms are available at the Front Royal Administration Building located at

102 E Main Street, Front Royal.

Vagina Monologues Presentation The Selah Theatre Project presents: VDAY 2016 The Vagina Monologues

by Eve Ensler, benefits the Phoenix Project. Thurs.Feb.11 & Sat.Feb.13, Reception 7pm. Performance 8pm., tickets avail. online, phone or at the door.$20 (first adult beverage included, guests over 21). 30 E.8th St.

Planning Commission vacancies – citizen appointments The Front Royal Town Council is accepting resumes or applications from citizens who are interested in serving on the Front Royal Planning Commission. There are currently two positions to fill un-expired terms. To be eligible for appointment to the Planning Commission, applicants must be freeholders of land and reside within the Town limits of Front Royal. The Planning Commis-

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Dear Stewart: What’s been going on with the Tree Stewards this past year? It would be great if you could review what you all have been accomplishing.

– Jeff Hey Jeff!

Ask Stewart

2015 was an exciting year for The Front Royal/ Warren County Tree Stewards. We welcomed new Tree Stewards to our organization and the group as a whole reported 1784 hours for a total volunteer benefit of $40,194 to our community.

Arbor Day was celebrated at the town Gazebo on April 25th with Councilman Hollis Tharpe reading the proclamation and the planting of an American Beech tree near the Visitors Center. We can proudly say that Front Royal was designated a Tree City USA for the 16th consecutive year and thank the Town for recognizing the importance of Trees to our community.

The All About Trees class this Fall had 20 actively engaged students. The classes are taught

by Certified Arborists and conclude with planting a

class tree. “Dancing with Trees” a short program about best practices and tree basics was offered at Samuels Library in August.

At the beginning of each year Tree Stewards sit down with the Town’s Horticulture Department, and develop a plan for the coming year. In 2015 the Tree Stewards pruned trees and removed vines along Happy Creek Arboretum, Eastham Park, the Royal Shenandoah Greenway, Virginia Ave, Main Street and North Royal Ave. Preparation work was done in Miss Florence Smith Park for trees to be planted this Spring and many trees along the Royal Shenandoah Greenway were affixed with identifying labels. A Memorial Tree was also planted along the Greenway.

With the announcement of the new Children’s Garden at Samuels Library, the Tree Stewards joined other local organizations to lend support.

We planted 3 new trees inside the Garden purchased by the Front Royal Beautification Committee. Other work in the garden included relocating a tree and planting a whimsical pom-pom.

Tree Stewards participated in many community festivals and the Farmer’s Market handing out information and answering questions. We prepared

displays at the Library and Kiosks and articles for the newspaper column “Ask Stewart.” In an effort to improve mulching practices, the Tree Stewards began contacting local businesses to educate and remove/re-adjust “volcano mulching”.

Children’s Events included reading-and-craft times at Samuels Public Library in March and October with special appearances by our Mascot ‘Stewart the Squirrel’ and, an annual Earth Day walk at the Happy Creek Arboretum for preschoolers. The Trees R Cool educational program was incorporated at the festivals and a Tree Steward participated as a judge at the 2015 Envirothon Contest, a natural resources competition for high school students. Tree Stewards also participated in the planting of three maple trees at the Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School in memory of a wellloved teacher.

We look forward to seeing you around town in 2016 as we continue to volunteer for our community forest! If you see us, stop and say hello and tell us about your trees!

- Stewart

The Front Royal/Warren County Tree Steward program began in 1997 with volunteers dedicated to improving the health of trees by providing educational programs, tree planting and care demonstrations, and tree maintenance throughout the community.

The group now consists of over 30 active members with several interns working toward becoming certified tree stewards from our annual “All About Trees Class”. Each month Stewart will answer a question from our readers. Please forward it to “Stewart” in care of: frwctreestewards@comcast.net and we may publish it in a future issue. Please visit our website at:

www.treesfrontroyal.org

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com Front Royal. For more information, call (540) 686-5185 or visit selahtheatreproject.org.

Master Gardeners offer seedstarting class The Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association is offering a community education class February 27, at Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School in Front Royal. The free class will help area residents get a head start on spring planting.

Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will present a seed-starting class this month in Front Royal. The class will teach how seeds grow, what they need to grow, and what residents can do to start seeds while it’s still cold outside. Starting seeds in winter for spring planting enables gardeners to grow a wider variety of plants than what may be found in the spring at retail establishments. Class attendees will make a milk-jug greenhouse to take with them to use for seed starting.

This class is free to area residents and begins at 10:00 AM on Saturday, February 27. The class is held at Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School at 290 Westminster Drive, Front Royal. The class is free, but pre-registration is

required. To register, please send an email to cyhaley@comcast.com.

Super Bowl fans don’t let fans drive drunk in Virginia Whether a Panthers or a Broncos fan, a guaranteed game-day loser is anyone who chooses to drive drunk on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 7). The Virginia State Police is reminding all Virginians that if your game plan includes drinking as part of the Super Bowl festivities, then add a designated driver to your lineup.

Whether attending the game, watching at a restaurant or sports bar, or hosting a party, the Virginia State Police, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the NFL remind everyone that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. Before choosing to drink, choose your team’s MVP – a sober designated driver.

If attending a Super Bowl party or watching the game at a sports bar or restaurant, designate your sober driver, or plan another way to get home safely before the party begins. If you don’t have a designated driver, then ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay in for the night. Use your community’s sober ride program, reserve an Uber

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ride, or take public transportation.

Never let friends drive if they have had too much to drink. Always buckle up – it’s still your best defense against drunk drivers.

If hosting a Super Bowl party, remember that you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you served ends up in a drunk-driving crash. Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange alternate transportation. Serve lots of food and include lots of non-alcoholic beverages at the party. Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert. Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who has had too much to drink.

“Not only does an impaired driver put lives at risk on our highways, but also runs the very likely risk of getting arrested for DUI,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “On Sunday, Virginia troopers will be stepping up patrols during and following the Super Bowl in order to deter, detect and arrest drunk drivers. No game or drink is worth losing a life over, so please be responsible and Drive to Save Lives.”

Randolph-Macon Academy Welcomes New CFO On February 1, 2016, Stuart L. Myers of Winchester began his new role as Randolph-Macon Academy’s new Chief Financial Officer.

Myers, the founder and CEO of Sojourn Investments, LLC, has extensive experience as a leader and financial manager. He was previously employed by Project HOPE based of Millwood, VA, from 2002 to 2014, beginning his tenure there as Budget Director. He subsequently held a variety of financial management and operating positions with Project HOPE, culminating with serving as the Senior Vice President for Global Health Programs from 2009 until 2014.

Myers’s experience prior to Project HOPE included serving as the Business Manager and Chief Administrative Officer of the Dominican Republic Mission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He also worked for the Maryland Department of Transportation where he participated in or led multiple public finance initiatives.

Myers holds an MBA in Finance/ Operations Research from Oklahoma State University. He is a member of the Leader to Leader Institute and the American Association of Individual Investors. He was also the former vice chairman of the board of directors of Crossroads Christian Academy in Winchester, VA. “I am excited about the contributions Mr. Myers can make to our Academy and I am confident that our constituents will be impressed by all he can add to the important work we do,” said Randolph-Macon Academy President Brigadier General David C. Wesley, USAF, Retired.

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 13

Engle’s Angle:

“A B.S. and a lot of Doo-Doo”

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biotic relationship between women and horses in medieval texts.”

It didn’t sound any better the second time.

Why on earth, or any place in the galaxy, would anyone want to do that?

Her goal is “to elucidate elements of interspecies communication, its effect on human linguistic and emotional growth, and its relation to the performance of gender and establishment of identity.”

Wow. That’s a mouthful.

I don’t know much about horses, but I do know this.

That’s the biggest pile of horse doo-doo I’ve ever heard.

And she won 20 grand for it?

What were the other applicants studying?

If my niece had told her dad that’s what she wanted to study, or something like it, I can only imagine what he would’ve said.

Actually, I don’t have to imagine what he would’ve said.

I know what he would’ve said.

“I don’t think so.”

Or maybe “Try again.”

Or “Wrong answer.”

Why? Because he’d think it’s a big pile of horse doo-doo.

And that ain’t no BS.

When I was in college, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. A B.S. Why Psychology?

Because I found it interesting.

What was I going to do with a degree in Psychology?

I didn’t have a clue.

As it turned out, I never did use it.

Despite all the different companies I worked for during my career, and all the different jobs I had, none of them required a Psychology background.

My brother-in-law majored in Chemistry. He went to work for a large oil company as a Chemist.

He was more focused and practical than I was in terms of what direction he wanted to go.

He raised his daughter to be the same way.

She got her degree in Computer Science and now works for a tech company.

He would never say it, but I’ll bet he thinks a B.S. in Psychology is a bunch of BS. I was reading a story the other day about a woman who’s pursuing her doctorate degree and won a $20,000 award for her research.

I was impressed.

And then I read further.

She is editing and digitizing an almost 500 year old Latin manuscript that’s based on a thirteenth century Old French veterinary manual.

Huh? I kept reading.

She’s “analyzing the symbiotic relationship between women and horses in medieval The author likes horses. He texts.” doesn’t like horse doo-doo.

Say what?

Or stepping in it.

She’s “analyzing the sym– kevinengle456@comcast.net

Page 14 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

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Artist Lisa Kosloski paints retro murals at PaveMint She created 50s and 60s images to match the restaurant’s theme, but gave it her own modern spin

Lisa Kosloski proudly poses in front of one of the murals she was commissioned to paint for Rachel and Christian Failmezger’s PaveMint Taphouse and Grill.

By Carol Ballard Warren & Frederick County Report Artist Lisa Kosloski has been busy creating larger than life murals of 50s and 60s pinup cuties on the windows of Front Royal’s PaveMint Taproom and Grill, but she’s put her own spin on the images.

One afternoon, in the restaurant, Lisa, and owners Rachel and Christian Failmezger, sat down to talk about why she’s making over the big glass windows on the front and sides of the building.

They said they commissioned the murals because they had seen one of her paintings when she brought it in to show them.

“We took a painting and hung it up on the wall for a week. Everybody loved it,” Rachel said.

During the interview, they expanded on how the murals and the business were related. They’re located across the street from the Quality Inn on Commerce Ave., and the building had been a used car lot and before that a 1960’s gas station.

“We took an old 60s era gas station from the pinup and diner days; took it and repurposed it to a Taphouse,” Rachel commented.

The Failmezgers suggested that murals for PaveMint would be something that reflected the mid-20th century theme of the restaurant, but updated like the menu. They also provided the paint for the job and when finished they’ll be covered with a protective glaze.

Some of the comfort food dishes that were served in the 60s were hamburgers, franks and beans, shepherd’s pie and chicken and dumplings.

“Even though we don’t serve that kind of food, we take from there,” said Rachel.

They take a familiar dish, and deconstruct it, to put a modern, healthier and more upscale spin on the earlier popular comfort food. Franks and beans turns into two whole pork brats, on top of a lentil casserole with kale and butternut squash.

Burgers, which Christian said everyone lived on, are expanded upon with the addition of French Brie cheese, Port wine sauce and Arugula.

Lisa’s murals also begin with midcentury pinup “girls”, but she puts her

own presentation and color schemes into them and changes them to reflect a different attitude.

The murals do achieve a present day effect. The women don’t just look all coy and flirty, they look a little dangerous too.

In the front of the restaurant, she has painted larger than life beer flowing out of taps, a Martini glass and cheerful ladies looking like they’re about to enjoy an evening out.

She’s been painting the windows for about a month and has about a month’s work left, scheduling set hours to finish them. The recent blizzard didn’t help with that, although

the parking lot is clear now.

Lisa taught herself to paint in oils at an early age. Her art teacher in high school introduced the class to oils,

but she experimented on her own.

“She’s very talented,” said Rachel.

“I used to draw when I was a kid, and when I was in 9th grade, learned

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Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 15

Lisa Kosloski has created murals for the restaurant PaveMint, depicting 50s-60s themes, but with a modern interpretation. about oil painting in an art class at Stonewall Jackson High School in Quicksburg,” she said.

But she actually started to paint at home, making discoveries of subjects that caught her attention and going way beyond them.

She found old photos from the Great Depression, which had been photographed in black and white, copied the basic structure, turned them from grayscale to color paintings and gave them new life.

She used her individual technique and color palette and changed the sense of gritty realism in those photos by applying a lot of green, blue and purple to express the effect it had on her.

Why she chose that era, she said, is because she likes to encapsulate emotion, to show human suffering and joy. Her paintings of little boys with dirty faces, bare feet and ragged

clothing achieve that.

“They were so young but they could know how life wasn’t what it should be, and it didn’t break their spirit,” she said.

She entered competitions in high school and won awards for her paintings. She was told she should go to art school, but for a few years she had to take care of her grandmother, Barbara Kosloski, so she didn’t go.

The 25-year-old Lisa has traveled around the state, and calls herself a “Virginia Gypsy”, but found her way to Front Royal where her mother Michelle lives. She’s been back about nine months and has been working at PaveMint for six.

“She started as a dishwasher and worked her way up. She’s now a server and is learning to tend the bar,” said Christian, and added, “She’s definitely part of the family now.”

She said she was a bit reluctant to

Artist Lisa Kosloski takes a break from painting murals to pose with Christian Failmezger, who owns PaveMint Taphouse and Grill with his wife Rachel. relocate to Front Royal because she had heard some negative rumors about the town. Apparently there are some stories going around about how everyone here is on drugs, but she hasn’t seen evidence of it so far.

“Everyone’s friendly and it’s beautiful here, with the mountains. The people seem well-adjusted to me,” she observed. “I also really like it that they have music downtown in the summer.”

Christian agreed with her. “The town has been very accepting of our business, and said he’s proud of their is top rating on Yelp. Visitors like to see what’s local and unique, he says, and clients from their Main Street Vino e Formaggio restaurant have followed them here, to make a 50-50 ratio of out-of-towners to local folks in winter, changing with the seasons

to 80-20, with hikers and bicyclists, canoe people coming through in spring and summer and fall bringing visitors who want to see the leaves.

“Food is what we do, but the Taproom also has beer on tap and wine.

Hard liquor is available, but it doesn’t have the atmosphere of a bar,” Rachel said. “We sell more food than alcohol.”

Families bring their children, there are two tv screens, one with sports and the other often has old movies playing. The focus is on social interaction, a relaxed atmosphere and food. They change the menu with the seasons and use locally grown food, buying from “The Giving Tree” out of Linden and Crabills from Stephens City.

They’ve been open at this location since May of 2015, and business

has been great says Christian, adding, “Sometimes there aren’t enough chairs for the number of hungry people.”

They’re in the process of expanding to deal with that.

PaveMint is Lisa’s “gallery” right now, but she’s interested in showing her work elsewhere. She has done about 15-20 commissions, including this one, and is willing to be contacted for more work.

To contact Lisa, call 540-551-0761, email colorsandwhistles@gmail.com, or visit her on Facebook at facebook. com/oilpaintingslisakosloski.

PaveMint Taphouse and Grill is located at 9 S Commerce Ave, Front Royal. Call 540-252-4707, or visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/ PavemintTaphouse – carol@areaguides.com

Page 16 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

Trilogy at Lake Frederick Preparing to Bring the New Shenandoah Lodge & Athletic Club to Life Shea Homes’ building and revitalization efforts are well underway to bring the centerpiece of the Trilogy at Lake Frederick community, Shenandoah Lodge & Athletic Club, to life. The Lodge, which is set directly adjacent to Lake Frederick and includes amazing views over the water, is home to Region’s 117, the only lakeside restaurant in the Shenandoah Valley. Construction is expected to be completed in April of 2016, with the debut of the restaurant expected to be May 18th, which is 117 days away from today.

The Shenandoah Lodge encompasses two impressive buildings. The Lodge will feature a restaurant, Region’s 117, as well as an events center, outdoor gardens and orchards, and much more.

Region’s 117 features farm-to-table foods, highlighting regional meats and cheeses, as well as locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs. Portions of the menu will be grown on the property in the planned orchard and gardens. ”People have asked frequently about the inspiration for ‘Region’s 117’, and it’s simple,” says Jason King, General Manager for Trilogy

at Lake Frederick. “Whenever possible, we will source ingredients from within 117 miles of our community, a distance that gets us from the farms of Pennsylvania to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.” Also underway is the Skyline Ballroom that will host weddings and large banquets with midsize rooms for business retreats and meetings with beautiful mountain views. Couples have already begun reserving the Events Center for weddings beginning in the summer of 2016, and it is expected that the venue will quickly take its place among the most desirable in the region.

For more information on the Shenandoah Lodge & Athletic Club and Trilogy at Lake Frederick, visit trilogylife.com/lakefrederick or shenandoahclubva.com.

Guided tours of the Lodge are available by appointment by calling Club Manager Barrie Holt at bholt@shenandoahclubva.com or (540) 508-2027.

Frederick County Names Mike Ruddy Director of Planning and Development Frederick County Administrator, Brenda Garton, announces that Mike Ruddy has been named as the Director of Planning and Community Development. Mr. Ruddy has served as Deputy Director of Planning and Development since 2004 and prior to that served from 2000-2004 as Director of Planning & Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Purcellville (VA).

Ms. Garton says, “We used a rigorous interview process involving an interview panel that included profes-

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com sional planners from other localities in addition to Frederick County staff and members of the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission.

The panel recommended Mike Ruddy as the best fit in terms of experience and skill set to lead our Planning and Community Development Department. I look forward to working with Mike as we aim to plan responsibly and in conjunction with the vision of the Board of Supervisors for the future land use and transportation needs of Frederick County.”

Mr. Ruddy says he is “very excited to move into this important position and to be a part of the continued growth and progress of Frederick County as we look to the future.”

Ruddy holds a B.A. Parks and Recreation Management and a M.A. Geography and Regional Planning. Other positions held by Mr. Ruddy include Zoning Administrator, Planner II and Planner I for Frederick County Department from 1995-2000, Planning Intern - City of Winchester Planning Department, 1995, and Planning Associate/G.I.S. Intern - Lord Fairfax Planning District Commission also in 1995.

Assistant County Administrator Kris Tierney notes “as a previous director of planning, I know Mike will continue to move us forward in planning and development, using his broad experience to tackle issues and plans in a way that will best serve the citizens of Frederick County, now and in the future.”

The planning department currently has 10 staff members and will look to fill Mr. Ruddy’s previous position in the near future. Mr. Ruddy’s salary will be $115,000.00 Important Information for the March 1, 2016 Dual Presidential Primaries On Tuesday, March 1, 2016, registered Virginia voters will go to the polls and vote in either the Democratic Party Primary or the Republican Party Primary. The polls are open

from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. Any registered voter in Virginia may vote.

To vote in either the March 1, 2016, Democratic Party Presidential Primary or the Republican Party Presidential Primary, you must be a registered voter. You must be a United States citizen, be a resident of Virginia, and be 18 years old by the November 8, 2016 Presidential Election. The deadline to register to vote or to update your voting information for either the Democratic Party or Republican Party Presidential Primaries is Monday, February 8, 2016.

All voters must declare to the poll book Officers of Election in which of the two Party Primaries – Democratic or Republican - they wish to vote.

Virginia State Election Law 24.2–530 prohibits any voter from voting in more than one Primary on the same day. This declaration must be made before the voter is qualified for their chosen Primary. Virginia State Election Law 24.2–529 does not allow write-ins in Primary elections.

Section 24.2-545 of the Code of

Virginia allows the political party holding a primary to determine requirements for voting in the primary.

The Republican Party of Virginia has determined that the following statement shall be a requirement of your participation. Any voter refusing to sign the statement form cannot vote in this Republican Party nominating process.

STATEMENT “My signature below indicates that I am a Republican.”

Voters will be required to sign the statement and print their name.

Providing your email address and telephone number is optional. Voter Photo ID Required for Voting for March 1, 2016 Dual Presidential Primaries.

[Publisher’s note: At press time we received word that the Republican Party of Virginia’s loyalty pledge requirement had been withdrawn following a public outcry.]

Effective January 2, 2016, voters must present one of the following acceptable forms of photo identifi-

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Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com cation when voting in-person at the Registrar’s office for absentee voting or at the polls on Dual Primary Day, Tuesday, March 1, 2016: Valid Virginia Driver’s License DMV-issued photo identification card Valid United States Passport Valid Employee photo identification card Other government-issued photo identification card Valid college or university student photo identification card (issuer must be an institution of higher education located in Virginia) Valid student photo identification from a private school (issuer must be an institution located in Virginia)

Voters who do not possess one of these acceptable forms of ID may come to the Registrar’s office, Monday through Friday between 8:30 am to 5:00 pm to sign a form stating they do not have an acceptable photo ID. A free photo ID picture will be taken and sent to the voter by the Department of Elections.

Voters who do not present an acceptable form of ID may vote a provisional ballot and produce a copy of an acceptable ID to the Registrar’s office by 12:00 noon on Friday, March 4, 2016 for their provisional ballot to be counted.

Please be aware that, of the 21 Precincts in Frederick County, 18 of the

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Polling Places are located in Frederick County Public Schools. Schools in Frederick County are in session on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. School buses will be dropping off and picking up students from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. At all schools, administrators, teachers, staff will be in attendance and using their parking lots.

At all high schools, students will be in attendance and using their parking lots. Parking may be limited due to the above uses.

Parks and Recreation Commission Member Sought The Board of Supervisors is accepting applications for a representative from the Red Bud Magisterial District to serve on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

The Parks and Recreation Commission is composed of eight members appointed by the Board of Supervisors; one from each magisterial district, and two members at large.

One member from the Board of Supervisors serves as a liaison. Members serve a four year term. The commission is an advisory body which deals with the development of parks and the various programs of recreation offered to the general public and makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors relative to said matters. Please apply by February 16.

Belle Grove “Hite of Excellence” Kick Off The “Hite of Excellence” Dinner Series begins with a Kick-Off Party at Belle Grove Plantation on Saturday, February 6, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

The party will feature hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a silent auction. Tickets for the Kick-Off Party are $25 per person or $40 per couple and may be purchased at www.bellegrove.org or by calling (540) 869-2028.

The Kick-Off Party is also the first chance for guests to purchase tickets

to the 2016 dinners and events, many of which will sell out quickly. This year’s series includes 15 events such as a private performance of “The Cat’s Meow” at the Winchester Little Theater, an open hearth cooking class, an elegant dinner in Belle Grove’s dining room, a spring wildflower hike, a concert by Yesterday Swing Orchestra, a screening of Easy Rider at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a family friendly behind-the-scenes tour of the Plantation, a December holiday tea in Belle Grove’s Manor House, and more. Tickets that are not sold at the Kick-Off Party will go on sale at www.bellegrove.org on Monday, February 8.

Crop Production Update Meeting to be Held February 11 Virginia Cooperative Extension is hosting an Orchardgrass Production Meeting on Thursday, February 11, from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. at Creekside Plain and Fancy in Edinburg. Farmers wishing to attend should register in advance by calling the Shenandoah County Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension (540-459-6140)

by February 5. There is a $5 per person registration fee, payable at the door. The meeting will include an Update on Orchardgrass Research by Mr. Gordon Jones and an Update on Small Grain and Corn Developments from Dr. Wade Thomason, Extension Small Grain Specialist.

Farmers across the Mid-Atlantic (DE, MD, PA, VA, and WV) are experiencing reduced vigor (fewer cutting and lower yields per year) and early death of orchardgrass stands compared to only 10 years ago. A 15 member task force (called the Mid-Atlantic Orchardgrass Task Force) was organized that represents agribusinesses, farmers, university specialists, and extension educators from Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

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Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 17 search program to address the problem. Mr. Gordon Jones was hired as a doctorial student at Virginia Tech within the Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. For the past one and one half years, Mr. Jones has been focusing on this issue. This has included an extensive multi-year assessment of over 53 orchardgrass fields throughout the Mid-Atlantic and research plots focused on cutting height, fertility, and disease pressure.

During this meeting, Mr. Jones will give an update of his research program and provide some of the results to date. This meeting will allow area farmers to have direct interaction with one of the primary researchers who is addressing this problem.

The Mid-Atlantic Orchardgrass Task Force estimates there are approximately 1.1 million acres of “improved” stands in the Mid-Atlantic region and this problem is costing farmers over $40 million per year.

Meetings of industry, Extension, and government agencies (USDA-NRCS and USDA-ARS) personnel have been held to discuss the current situation. Discussions at these meetings have identified three potential causes of these orchardgrass problems: 1. Cutting or grazing too short and/ or too frequently; 2. Pests (primarily orchardgrass billbugs, grubs, and a disease called leaf streak); and 3. Improper fertilization.

These factors are either working individually or in concert to cause significant financial losses to farmers. However, there are many farmers across the Mid-Atlantic who are following all recommended practices who are still experiencing these problems. Thus, a key recommendation from the Task Force was that research was needed to find a solution.

A special thank you to the following agribusinesses for helping to sponsor this meeting: AMVAC; BASF; Binkley & Hurst; CFC Farm & Home; DeKalb / Asgro; Dow AgroSciences, LLC; Dupont; Farm Family Insurance; First Bank & Trust Com-

pany; Gallagher; Gudentight Fencing; Helena Chemical Co.; James River Equipment; King’s AgriSeeds, Inc.; Mathias Brothers, Inc.; MidAtlantic Farm Credit; Page Cooperative Farm Bureau; Pasture Management Systems Inc.; Pioneer Seed; Rockingham Cooperative Farm Bureau; Southern States – Luray; Southern States – Winchester; Syngenta; TruTest; Valley Fertilizer & Chemical Company; Wightman Insurance Agency; and Winchester Equipment Company.

2015 Population Estimates for Virginia In contrast to last decade’s rapid population growth, Virginia’s growth has moderated since 2010, reaching nearly 8.4 million as of July 1, 2015, according to demographers from the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, which produces the official annual population estimates for Virginia’s cities and counties.

The slowing overall growth rate is caused by a decrease in the number of people moving into Virginia, an increase in the number of deaths, and a declining birth rate. Migration to Virginia accounts for only 40 percent of population growth, compared to 50 percent a decade ago. Further, and perhaps more significant for shortterm trends, is that, as the elderly population increases as a percentage of those living in Virginia, the number of deaths rises steadily. At the same time, many millennials are postponing—or even forgoing—having babies, resulting in a birth rate below what would be expected from this large cohort of peak childbearing-age adults.

Last year’s growth of 76,000 people in the Commonwealth is heavily concentrated in the urban crescent.

Nearly 90 percent of population gains were in the Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads metro areas, and the population in most independent cities across the state has increased since 2010.

Page 18 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

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VIRGINIA Virginia concealed handgun reciprocity changes delayed until March 1st

Effectively immediately, the Feb. 1, 2016, deadline for concealed handgun reciprocity revocations by the Commonwealth of Virginia has been delayed to March 1, 2016.

On Dec. 22, 2015, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced the results of a yearlong legal analysis of the concealed handgun reciprocity agreements Virginia has maintained with many states.

This analysis was to determine if the requirements and qualifications of that state’s law are adequate to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth pursuant to §18.2-308.14 of the Code of Virginia.

As a result of that analysis, the Attorney General determined that the laws in 25 states were insufficient and therefore recommended that the reciprocity agreement between those states and Virginia be revoked effective Feb. 1, 2016. The state police then took the necessary steps to notify those states of the upcoming change.

Since December, members of Virginia’s General Assembly have worked diligently with Governor Terry McAuliffe on proposed legislation to revise the Code of Virginia with regards to the parameters for reciprocity. As a result of these ongoing conversations and the Governor’s announcement made Friday afternoon, the original February deadline has now been extended to March 1, 2016.

Until the new March 1, 2016, Virginia will continue to recognize concealed handgun permits from those 25 states. For more information on those states, please go to the Virginia State Police Website at www.vsp.virginia.gov.

Goodlatte Announces Sixth District Service Academy Nominations Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement today announcing his nomination of several students from the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia to our nation’s service academies as members of the graduating Class of 2020: “It is my honor to nominate these young men and women to compete for an appointment to our nation’s service academies. The service academies provide students with the opportunity to receive a quality educational experience and training to become the leaders of their generation. Upon appointment, I am confi-

dent that they will serve the United States with distinction. Folks in the Sixth District can be proud of these nominees. I wish them the best and thank them for their willingness to serve their country.”

Sixth District Nominations for the Class of 2020 U.S. Air Force Academy Eva J. Bogdewic, daughter of CPT. Daniel Bogdewic and Dr. Lisa Oakley-Bogdewic, is a senior at Randolph-Macon Academy and a resident of Rileyville.

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Eva J. Bogdewic, daughter of CPT. Daniel Bogdewic and Dr. Lisa Oakley-Bogdewic, is a senior at Randolph-Macon Academy and a resident of Rileyville.

Jayme N. Goode, daughter of William and Holly Goode, is a senior at Warren County High School and a resident of Linden.

Timothy D. Melancon, son of Tim and Deb Melancon, is a senior at Liberty University Online Academy and a resident of Linden.

Luke M.G. Mosher, son of Steven and Vera Mosher, is a senior at Millbrook High School and a resident of White Post.

U.S. Naval Academy Sean T. Bell, son of Tamicka Gaynor-Bell, is a senior at RandolphMacon Academy and a resident of Front Royal.

Samuel A. Cook, son of Aaron and Paula Cook, is a senior at Turner Ashby High School and a resident of Dayton.

Jayme N. Goode, daughter of William and Holly Goode, is a senior at Warren County High School and a resident of Linden.

Timothy D. Melancon, son of Tim

and Deb Melancon, is a senior at Liberty University Online Academy and a resident of Linden.

Luke M.G. Mosher, son of Steven and Vera Mosher, is a senior at Millbrook High School and a resident of White Post.

Ixel S. Ochoa, daughter of Edgar Ochoa, is a graduate of RandolphMacon Academy and a student at the Naval Academy Foundation. She is a resident of Front Royal.

Lawmakers Honor Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer

By James Miessler Capital News Service After a successful career at Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer won’t be forgotten any time soon. On Thursday, both houses of the General Assembly honored the recently retired football coach with a center-aisle ceremony.

Legislators presented Beamer with a resolution to express their “admiration for his achievements and best wishes on a happy retirement.”

“We’re here today to honor one of the greatest football coaches in all America on his retirement,” said Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, whose district includes the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg.

With the former coach and his wife Cheryl standing by, Edwards delivered a speech praising Beamer.

“He is one of the most successful and respected college football coaches in the entire country,” Edwards said. “He coaches the way that he is as a person – with character and decency – which is part of the reason for his remarkable success.”

Edwards shared the accolades that

comprise Beamer’s illustrious career at Virginia Tech.

“At Virginia Tech, he’s had 23 consecutive winning seasons and Bowl game appearances and a national championship football game appearance,” Edwards said. “The team’s very first season with the ACC in 2004, the Hokies won the ACC title and an appearance in a Bowl championship series game, and Frank Beamer was named the ACC Coach of the Year.

Altogether, the Hokies have won four ACC championships since 2004.”

Beamer was well known for getting all of his players involved in scoring. This style of play was successful enough to garner its own nickname.

“Coach Beamer pioneered an aggressive style of special-teams play that has come known far and wide as ‘Beamer Ball,’ ” Edwards said.

But Beamer didn’t just see success on the field. Throughout the years, he saw many of his players earn their degrees.

“Of particular pride to Frank Beamer and to Virginia Tech is that over 94 percent of his senior football players from 2001 to 2014 earned their college degrees,” Edwards said.

Edwards drove home Beamer’s impact on college football at the end of the speech: “Frank Beamer has finished his career as the winningest active football coach in all of the NCAA.” Lawmakers presented Beamer with House Joint Resolution 75, which they had passed last month. The primary sponsors of the resolution were Republican Dels. Joseph Yost of Pearisburg, Greg Habeeb of Salem and Nick Rush of Christiansburg.

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Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com Business Leaders Support Bill to Boost International Trade

By Matt Chaney Capital News Service Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, along with business leaders from across Virginia, promoted a bill Tuesday afternoon that they say will make it easier for businesses in Richmond and elsewhere in the state to export goods internationally.

“This could really be a game changer for Virginia; promoting our exports and getting international companies to come into Virginia and do trade with us,” Landes said at a press conference in the General Assembly Building.

Landes’ proposal, House Bill 858, would create the Virginia International Trade Authority. It would be formed by reorganizing existing programs within the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, another state agency. Thus, the proposal would not affect the state budget, ac-

cording to Landes and leaders from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Manufacturers Association and the Virginia Maritime Association.

As a result, Landes said, the new authority would not cost taxpayers anything, while devoting more resources toward helping state businesses sell their products abroad.

According to a press release distributed by an alliance of more than 100 Virginia businesses and trade associations, the proposed International Trade Authority will help Virginia meet its goals of adding “14,000 international trade-supported jobs and increase Virginia exports of products and services by $1.6 billion by 2020.”

Van Wood, a professor of marketing at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Business, said creating an authority devoted to expanding international trade will “help businesses expand overseas, generate more revenue, and put the Virginia brand name out into the world.”

“I want when people to walk into a

grocery store in France, and they see French wines, South African wines, Napa Valley wines … I want them to say, ‘We got Virginia wines.’ You got to be out there. That’s what we’re doing,” Wood said in an interview after the press conference.

Wood has a great deal of experience working within the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

He is one of several Virginia college professors who have been asked by the governor to help local businesses find an international market for their products.

“There’s a small distillery located in Richmond, Virginia, in Scott’s Addition called Reservoir Distillery. It makes excellent rye whiskey and bourbon – $150 a bottle,” Wood said. He said that with globalization, such products might find a demand in emerging markets such as India, China, Brazil and Turkey.

“They have a middle class now that these prestige products like American bourbon are going to resonate with,” Wood said.

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 19 Landes’ bill has been assigned to the House Subcommittee on Agriculture, Commerce, Technology and Natural Resources.

Attorney General Targets Patent Trolls

By Matt Chaney Capital News Service Matthew Osenga, an attorney who specializes in intellectual property and patent prosecution, said that in all his years of practicing law, he has had only one case in which somebody came to him fearing a lawsuit about a fraudulent patent claim. What happened?

“We chose to not do anything, and nothing came of it,” Osenga said Monday from his office at the Richmond law firm of Goodman, Allen and Donnelly.

But some experts say fraudulent claims filed by so-called “patent trolls” are a major problem. That’s why Virginia Attorney General Mark

Herring recently created a “Patent Troll Unit” to go after people who try to extort money by fraudulently claiming that someone has stolen their patent.

According to a study cited by Herring’s office, patent trolls cost the U.S. economy about $29 billion a year, with individuals and companies bearing the brunt of the loss. At this point, it is unclear how much patent trolls cost the Virginia economy.

“One of the things that could be really valuable about the Patent Troll Unit is that by having a more centralized unit working on the issue, we can get a better feel for which businesses are at risk, and how much of a problem this is in the commonwealth,” said Michael Kelly, the director of communications for Herring’s office.

“Right now, there’s no one really looking at this issue in a coordinated way to establish the scale or impact of patent trolls at the state level.”

Kristen Osenga, a University of Richmond law professor who specializes in patent law, said there are a few problems with establishing a “Patent Troll Unit.”

“By calling it a ‘Patent Troll Unit,’ basically [Herring is] saying, ‘Hey, See VIRGINIA, 20

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Page 20 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016 VIRGINIA, from 19 let’s go after these people who are bad because they don’t make anything,’ ” said Professor Osenga, the wife of attorney Matthew Osenga.

Osenga said she understands there are people who send letters falsely alleging that a company or individual has committed patent infringement.

But at the same time, she said, there are other people who have a solid legal basis for suing for copyright infringement. She cited the company Conversant.

“Back in the ’70s and ’80s, they developed, manufactured and sold semiconductor chips. They were a real company, manufacturing and selling real things,” Professor Osenga said. “In the ’90s, it turned out that the semiconductor industry was full of rampant infringement … So they were losing significant amounts of market share to all of these infringers, until they faced the choice: Do we sue all these people, or go out of business?”

According to Osenga, the company eventually began licensing its patents to the infringing companies, which were better at manufacturing products. Conversant then became a research and development firm that licensed its patents instead of selling them. As a result, the company became known for its patent lawsuits and developed a bad rap among some people in the patent community.

Osenga said she fears that Herring’s office might unfairly prosecute similar companies that look like patent trolls but don’t do anything unethical. Herring’s office found her concerns unwarranted.

“Of course the Unit will not pursue action against companies that make legitimate claims of patent infringement,” Kelly said in an email response. “In fact, these efforts will strengthen the overall patent system by weeding out some of the bad actors that are abusing it.”

Regardless, as a result of legislation passed last year, Herring’s office now has the power to investigate and

prosecute patent trolls and impose financial penalties for misdeeds.

In an open invitation to the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the state’s largest business advocacy group, Herring asked business people who think they may have been victims of patent trolling to report it by: • Visiting this website (http://www. ag.virginia.gov/index.php/patents/ report-a-patent-troll) • Emailing patents@oag.state.va.us • Calling his office at 804-786-2071 “Because my office is authorized to seek injunctions against that kind of behavior,” Herring said, “we can identify and bring action against a few

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com of these bad actors and really send a strong message that these kind of abusive tactics will not be tolerated in Virginia.”

Senate Passes Bill Targeting Black Vultures

By James Miessler Capital News Service The black vulture of Virginia has found itself in the crosshairs of legislation passed by the Senate this week.

Senate Bill 37, sponsored by Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson, would au-

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thorize the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to make agreements with government agencies and with farmers and other people to control the black vulture population.

The Senate voted 39-1 on Wednesday in favor of the bill. The lone dissenter was Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath. SB 37 now goes to the House of Delegates for consideration.

Carrico said the vultures have become a menace to farmers and their livelihoods.

“I was contacted by farmers from my district located in Lee County,”

Carrico said in an e-mail. “They reported that the vultures were coming down and attacking the newborn calves.”

Carrico explained that many calves are unable to move for a few days after being born, almost giving the impression that they are dead or dying – which means they look like a meal to the vultures.

“This is a very common occurrence on cattle farms,” Carrico said. “The black vultures were coming down and plucking out the eyes and tearing out the guts of the calves while they laid there.”

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Carrico’s original bill sought to prohibit the game department from using any state resources to enforce federal rules that protect the black vulture. However, that provision was removed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.

The version of SB 37 passed by the Senate would add black vultures to an existing provision of state law allowing the game department to seek assistance controlling wildlife that poses a threat to agricultural animals. The bill also would instruct the agency to work with the federal government on a cooperative wildlife damage management program.

Although his bill would legalize

shooting black vultures, it doesn’t mean an all-out massacre of the birds, Carrico said.

“This is not a bill that would grant open season on vultures,” Carrico said. “The farmers simply wanted to be able to get a permit that says they can shoot the vultures endangering their livestock. The bill will only grant permission to kill the vultures if the farmer has a problem with them re-

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 21 garding his livestock. The farmer will also have to have a permit. I realize that vultures provide a service in nature, so this does not mean I do not think they should be protected.”

Marlene Condon, a nature writer and former field editor for Birds & Blooms magazine, isn’t convinced.

“I’m against this bill because the vultures are not at fault – the farmers are,” Condon said. “They’ve created unnatural conditions that have

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caused black vultures to themselves behave unnaturally by taking live animals.”

Condon believes that the solution is to change human behavior and that killing the vultures is out of the question.

“We’re in the 21st century, for goodness sake,” Condon said. “We should know better than to think we should kill animals when we could See VIRGINIA, 22

CRIME OF THE WEEK

Winchester Crime of the Week - February 1, 2016 The Winchester Police Department is investigating a shoplifting from Target, located at 2340 Legge Boulevard. On January 20, 2016, around 7:15 p.m., two black males (pictured below) entered Target and proceeded to the electronics department. The suspects concealed a large number of graphing calculators and exited the store without paying.

If you have any information regarding a suspect or a suspect vehicle in this incident, please contact the Crime Solvers Hotline at (540) 665-TIPS (8477). Information leading to the arrest of a suspect may result in a reward of up to $1,000. Incident #16002534 MPO Jenkins Frederick County Crime of the Week - January 25, 2016 On January 15, 2016, Frederick County Deputies responded to 2180 Fairfax Pike, Shen-Val Farm Market, in reference to a burglary and grand larceny. The owner reported that upon arrival at 0900 hours on January 15th, it was discovered that unknown persons had forcibly entered the market, broke open the drawer to the cash register and removed an unknown amount of U. S. Currency. Nothing else was reported missing. If you have any information regarding a suspect or a suspect vehicle in this incident, please contact the Crime Solvers Hotline at (540) 665TIPS (8477). Information leading to the arrest of a suspect may result in a reward of up to $1,000. Incident #16000255 Investigator Jared Nail

Page 22 â&#x20AC;˘ Warren & Frederick County Report â&#x20AC;˘ Mid February, 2016 VIRGINIA, from 21 just change the way we do things.â&#x20AC;?

Condon noted the importance of vultures to the environment, as well as the dangers of not having them around. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They mostly recycle putrefying remains that are so loaded with bacteria that feeding upon them would kill â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not just sicken â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most other kinds of animals, including humans,â&#x20AC;?

Condon said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When vulture populations plummeted in South Asia, it led to a rise in infectious diseases and a proliferation of rats as a result of carcasses left to rot on the ground.â&#x20AC;?

Condon chalked the bill and its supporters up to ignorance, quoting one of the Founding Fathers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As Ben Franklin said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Being ignorant is not so much as a shame, as being unwilling to learn. We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2026;â&#x20AC;?

Sens. Kaine and Warner Hold Roundtable on Higher Ed

By Sarah King Capital News Service Constance Garner works two jobs while attending college, but her long hours arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to line her pockets with extra beer money.

Garner, a Longwood University senior, expects to graduate owing more than $35,000 in student debt; she works two jobs on campus to cover room and board. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am from a very small town in southern Virginia where students are lucky to receive any type of higher education, much less a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree from a four-year institution,â&#x20AC;?

Garner said.

Stories like hers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t uncommon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and last week, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both former governors of Virginia, hosted a roundtable discussion in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital with student leaders from 20 Virginia colleges to discuss the increasing financial burdens of pursuing higher education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sen. Warner and I hosted this roundtable to hear directly from student leaders at universities and colleges across Virginia on ways we can help alleviate the burden of student loan debt, which has surpassed credit card debt in America,â&#x20AC;? Kaine said.

Nationwide, Americans owe more than $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, which is more accumulated

non-mortgage debt than credit cards and auto loans, according to the Federal Reserve.

Warner noted that about 60 percent of Virginia college students graduate with student debt and that the average debt load in Virginia now tops $26,000 per graduate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the first person in my family to complete college, I know that if I had graduated with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s levels of student debt, I would not have had opportunities to try â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and to fail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with several of my early business ventures,â&#x20AC;? Warner said.

Kaine and Warner, both of them Democrats, have worked to pass bipartisan legislation in Washington.

For example, Warner has teamed with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican presidential candidate, to sponsor the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Student Right to Know Before You Go Act,â&#x20AC;? which would provide tools for comparing colleges and universities on measures such as total cost, likelihood of graduating and potential earnings.

The issue of college affordability varies by state and by institution.

Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15 public four-year colleges and universities and 24 community colleges depend on funding in the state budget approved by the General Assembly.

This year is critical for higher education, as legislators consider Gov. Terry McAuliffeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed 2016-18 budget.

A poll released in January by the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University found solid public support for financing both K-12 and higher education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think current high school graduates are ready to succeed in the workplace,â&#x20AC;? said Robyn McDougle, CEPI interim executive director. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For some, attending college is the next key step toward a career, but these responses suggest that the public supports a high school structure that provides career skills that match up with a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision for his or her future and the needs of employers.â&#x20AC;?

According to the instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survey, about two-thirds of Virginians think high school graduates are not prepared for the workplace but are prepared for college. More than 70 percent of respondents support restructuring high school to make employer-aligned skill sets for a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desired career the focus of grades 11

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The poll indicated that the public sees community colleges as an advantage in adequately preparing students for the workforce. Almost three-fourths of the respondents said community college graduates are ready to join the workforce; a slightly higher proportion said the same thing of graduates of four-year colleges and universities.

Under McAuliffeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed budget, education and health and human services would receive the most sizable portions of state funding in the upcoming biennium. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll help things go over more smoothly, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always good to have nonpartisan data,â&#x20AC;?

McDougle said.

McDougle said that in creating the poll, the CEPI collaborated with Peter Blake, director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, and Anne Holton, Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secretary of education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Following the economic recession, our schools have been struggling to do more and more with less and less,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Holton said McAuliffe has traversed Virginia and heard from teachers, students and parents concerned about the future of education in Virginia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is why his proposed budget includes over $1 billion in new, innovative investments for our public schools, colleges and universities,â&#x20AC;?

Holton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The governor and I are committed to improving educational opportunities, supporting our fantastic educators and paving the way for every student to succeed in the new Virginia economy.â&#x20AC;?

Higher education officials hope this legislative session goes more smoothly than two years ago when a partisan stalemate over the state budget for the 2014-16 biennium prompted schools to increase tuition and fees across the board.

Due to the legislative impasse, public colleges and universities had to adopt their budgets for the 2014-15 school year not knowing how much funding the state would give them.

As a result, VCU raised tuition and fees 3.3 percent for in-state students â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that was the smallest boost

among the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major research universities. The increase was 4.3 percent at the University of Virginia, 4.8 percent at George Mason University and 4.9 percent at Virginia Tech.

Later in 2014, things got even worse. The state government discovered it had a budget shortfall of $880 million, and McAuliffe ordered state institutions to cut their budgets 5 percent for fiscal year 2015 and 7 percent for the following year.

VCU President Michael Rao relayed the bad news in an email to the university community: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now we face $8.75 million in cuts to the budget for the fiscal year that has already begun, increasing to $12.25 million in cuts for fiscal year 2016.â&#x20AC;?

College officials hope to avoid similar problems during the next budget cycle.

-30 Higher Ed Funding: By the Numbers Here is how much each state-supported institution of higher education is receiving this fiscal year (2016) from the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general fund and the increase proposed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe for 2017, according to the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget. (The enrollment numbers are from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.)

Longwood University 2016 appropriation: $29,395,815 2017 intro changes: $2,269,003 2017 total: $31,664,818 Current student enrollment: 5,087

Christopher Newport University 2016 appropriation: $30,680,321 2017 intro changes: $2,224,189 2017 total: $32,904,510 Current student enrollment: 5,172

University of Virginia at Wise 2016 appropriation: $16,035,000 2017 intro changes: $1,601,911 2017 total: $17,636,911 Current student enrollment: 2,028

College of William and Mary 2016 appropriation: $43,739,360 2017 intro changes: $3,624,884 2017 total: $47,364,244 Current student enrollment: 8,484

Virginia Commonwealth University 2016 appropriation: $199,048,008 2017 intro changes: $15,533,523 2017 total: $214,581,531 Current student enrollment: 31,242

George Mason University 2016 appropriation: $142,881,281 2017 intro changes: $11,728,847 2017 total: $154,610,128 Current student enrollment: 34,112

Virginia Military Institute 2016 appropriation: $13,605,980 2017 intro changes: $931,431 2017 total: $14,537,411 Current student enrollment: 1,717

James Madison University 2016 appropriation: $81,996,990 2017 intro changes: $7,502,701 2017 total: $89,499,691 Current student enrollment: 21,227

Virginia Tech 2016 appropriation: $174,543,831 2017 intro changes: $14,383,976 2017 total: $188,927,807 Current student enrollment: 32,663

Norfolk State University 2016 appropriation: $51,211,803 2017 intro changes: $5,227,372 2017 total: $56,439,175 Current student enrollment: 5,107 Old Dominion University 2016 appropriation: $132,697,173 2017 intro changes: $13,146,329 2017 total: $145,843,502 Current student enrollment: 24,672 Radford University 2016 appropriation: $54,275,371 2017 intro changes: $5,038,016 2017 total: $59,313,387 Current student enrollment: 9,743 University of Mary Washington 2016 appropriation: $27,258,203 2017 intro changes: $2,660,842 2017 total: $29,919,045 Current student enrollment: 4,647 University of Virginia 2016 appropriation: $137,099,157 2017 intro changes: $8,513,861 2017 total: $145,613,018 Current student enrollment: 23,883

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com Virginia State University 2016 appropriation: $38,796,332 2017 intro changes: $2,768,558 2017 total: $41,564,890 Current student enrollment: 4,696 Virginia Community College System 2016 appropriation: $405,711,667 2017 intro changes: $37,936,964 2017 total: $443,648,631 Virginia Officials Reach Compromise on Gun Laws

By Rachel Beatrice Capital News Service State officials from both political parties have reached a sweeping compromise on gun laws that would continue Virginia’s agreements with other states regarding concealed carry permits, prevent the subjects of protective orders from possessing guns and encourage, but not require, background checks at gun shows.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe – accompanied by Democratic and Republican lawmakers – announced the agreement Friday, calling it “the first meaningful steps on preventing gun violence in 23 years.”

“I have always believed that these gun issues are nonpartisan issues and there is room for more bipartisan cooperation in reaching this goal,” McAuliffe, a Democrat.

House Speaker William Howell, a Republican from Fredericksburg, agreed. He credited McAuliffe, Attorney General Mark Herring and Brian Moran, the state’s secretary of public safety, as well as GOP leaders such as Sen. Bryce Reeves of Fredericksburg and Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter of Woodbridge.

“This is not an area where many

people would have predicted an accord, but we are here because of their hard work,” Howell said.

In the deal, each side got something: Republicans got Herring to reverse his decision to revoke the reciprocal agreements Virginia has with 25 states on honoring one another’s concealed handgun permits.

And Democrats got Republicans to restrict access to firearms in domestic violence situations and possibly expand criminal background checks at firearms shows.

“Protecting reciprocity for Virginia’s law-abiding citizens was a major priority for the House of Delegates,” Howell said. “We have achieved an agreement that will ensure the constitutional rights of Virginians are protected. We are also sending a clear signal about the mutual willingness of both parties to protect victims of domestic violence. This a good deal for the commonwealth.”

McAuliffe and other officials discussed the agreement at a press conference at the state Capitol. The atmosphere was lighthearted and joyful – leaving little room for disagreement.

“I have been elected to the Senate of Virginia for the last 25 years, and this is the best press conference I have attended,” Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said as she was leaving the event. “This is historic. This is something we have been working on ever since I have been here. So I am just so grateful that I survived long enough to see it.”

McAuliffe praised the bipartisan spirit of the agreement.

“No one wants to see guns in the hands of domestic abusers or other dangerous individuals. It is our responsibility as elected leaders to

work together in a commonsense way to provide public safety,” he said.

“The measures we are announcing today will save lives. It is that simple.”

Added Reeves: “When you shelve politics and put it aside, it’s amazing what you can accomplish.”

The agreement came about a month after Herring said Virginia would revoke its agreements to recognize the concealed weapons permits issued by 25 states, including North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. Herring said those states did not meet Virginia’s standards in deciding who qualifies for a concealed carry permit.

Herring’s decision outraged Republicans. Just last week, Lingamfelter sent an open letter to McAuliffe, urging him to delay revocation of the reciprocal agreements.

Under the pact announced Friday, McAuliffe agreed to sign Senate Bill 610, a bill Reeves is sponsoring to reverse Herring’s decision. SB 610 would continue “reciprocity for all states with a concealed carry permitting process.”

But McAuliffe said it also would prevent “state shopping”: “If a person has ever been revoked in Virginia, they cannot go to another state to get a permit and have that permit be recognized in Virginia.”

Also as part of the agreement, the Republican-controlled General Assembly would pass legislation sponsored by Sen. Janet Howell, D-Reston. SB 49 would prohibit a person subject to a permanent protective order from possessing a firearm for the duration of the order. Failing to comply with the law would be a class 6 felony.

McAuliffe said the legislation

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 23 would plug a “gaping loophole that needed to be filled.” Current law states that a person who is the subject of a protective order may not buy a firearm but still may possess one.

In 2014, Virginia recorded 112 deaths involving family or domestic disputes. Sixty-six of the victims were killed were by guns.

“If we can save just one life, we need to do so,” McAuliffe said.

Under the third part of the agreement, the General Assembly would pass and McAuliffe would sign HB 1386, sponsored by Lingamfelter, and SB 715, by Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke. These bills address voluntary background checks at firearms shows.

Currently, only federally licensed firearms dealers must perform background checks on people who want to buy guns. The legislation would authorize the Virginia State Police to perform background checks on behalf of private citizens selling guns at the shows.

“This bill requires the Virginia State Police to be present at every firearms show in the Commonwealth to perform background checks on a voluntary basis,” the agreement stated.

Legislator Withdraws Bill Raising Oyster Leases

By Kyle Taylor Capital News Service Virginia watermen can heave a sigh of relief after a legislator withdrew his bill to increase the cost to lease the bottom of state-owned waterways for growing oysters and clams.

Perhaps one of Virginia’s best bargains, the annual right for leasing oyster planting grounds will remain only $1.50 per acre. Senate Bill 298, proposed by Sen. Bill DeSteph, RVirginia Beach, would have raised the annual rent to $5,000 per acre for leasing planting grounds within 1,000 feet of shoreline residences.

DeSteph withdrew the bill Thursday at a meeting of the Senate Ag-

riculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee. SB 298 is one of several bills introduced by DeSteph that were prompted by waterfront homeowner complaints that oyster farms have encroached on their properties and recreational use of the water.

To work out these issues, the Virginia Marine Resource Commission decided this week to enact a sevenmonth pause on new and pending lease applications for commercial and riparian leases within the Lynnhaven River system. The VMRC is forming a task force to study conflicts between commercial aquaculture leaseholders and other users of the waterways. The study will look at include recreational uses, navigation issues, privacy issues, property rights and property values.

“The No. 1 job of elected officials is the safety and security of our citizens,” DeSteph said in a statement Friday.

“We must find a balance between public safety, commercial and recreational use of our waterways. To do this, we need to devote the time necessary to have a discussion with all interested parties and determine the appropriate course of action.”

The VRMC action partially accomplishes what DeSteph and a fellow Republican, Del. Jason Miyares of Virginia Beach, sought in a bill they had co-sponsored: SB 254. It proposed suspending until July 1, 2017, the assignment or transfer by the VRMC of general oyster grounds in the Lynnhaven River or its tributaries.

“My goal with introducing this legislation was to get this conversation started,” DeSteph said. He withdrew SB 254 on Thursday.

Miyares said, “Through the VMRC task force, I am confident we can create an appropriate balance among all stakeholders in the Lynnhaven River system for the betterment of our community.”

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Page 24 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016 VIRGINIA, from 23 food industry were happy to see SB 298 withdrawn.

Lake Cowart is the owner of Cowart Seafood Corp. in Lottsburg, a community in Northumberland County, which borders the Chesapeake Bay. He said he knew SB 298 would never pass.

“To begin with, there’s not an acre of oyster lease in the state of Virginia that anybody would be willing to even pay $5,000 an acre in long term, much less $5,000 a year to lease one acre,” Cowart said. “It would put the oyster industry totally out of business. The number is so ridiculous it’s not even funny.”

Cowart said the VMRC task force has potential for allowing oyster growers and property owners to work out their differences.

“If in fact the VMRC can help the property owners and the oyster growers in Lynnhaven work through their problems, we shouldn’t have bills like this in the future,” Cowart said.

“The goal is for MRC to intervene, which it already has done, and set up a work group that can give and take, work out their differences. Not everyone is going to come away happy, but at least they’ll hopefully be happier than they were to start with.”

Poll Supports Reinstating Parole in Virginia

By Brian Williams Capital News Service Most Virginians support reinstating parole, treating juvenile offenders differently from adult criminals, and stopping people convicted of domestic violence from buying guns, according to the 2016 Commonwealth Poll.

The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, in conjunction with the office of the Virginia secretary of public safety and homeland security, released the survey findings Thursday.

Virginia banned parole in 1995.

Last year, Gov. Terry McAuliffe established a commission to study possible improvements in the criminal justice system. In December, the panel suggested such initiatives as expanding mental health services, but it stopped short of recommending that parole be reinstated.

The statewide Commonwealth Poll found strong support across political parties and racial groups for reinstating parole. The idea had the support of: • 76 percent of all Virginians • 86 percent of Democrats • 68 percent of Republicans • 88 percent of black respondents • 77 percent of white respondents The survey also indicated strong support for changes in the juvenile justice system.

“We were very excited to find that over 80 percent favored or supported strongly the idea of reducing the use of large adult-sized facilities to house juvenile offenders and instead were

very supportive of smaller community-based therapeutic centers,” said Robyn McDougle, faculty director of VCU’s Office of Public Policy Outreach.

According to the poll, 75 percent of Virginians agreed that youth convicted as adults should be eligible for parole. Support for this concept also cut across party lines. It was backed by: • 88 percent of Democrats • 75 percent of Republicans • 78 percent of independents Responses varied slightly among regions of the state. For example, 85 percent of respondents in Northern Virginia support parole for youth convicted as adults; in Western Virginia, the figure was 75 percent.

The poll also asked respondents whether people convicted of domestic violence or individuals with restraining orders against them should be allowed to purchase a gun. Most respondents – 64 percent – said no.

“Preventing gun violence is a priority for our governor. VCU’s poll shows that people across the commonwealth agree with the governor,” said Tonya Chapman, deputy secretary of public safety and homeland security.

“There have been several pieces of legislation introduced in an attempt to prevent an individual from possessing a weapon if there is an outstanding protective order or if an individual has been convicted of domestic violence.”

According to the survey, 74 percent of women support such a policy, compared with 55 percent of men.

The poll involved interviewing 930 adults across Virginia by landline and cellular phones. The survey has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.

How Good Was the Stew? It Ran Out Fast!

By Rachel Beatrice Capital News Service The 80-gallon cauldron of Brunswick stew was empty after just an hour and a half on Wednesday morning, feeding members of the General Assembly and Richmond residents who arrived early enough to indulge in the thick, creamy dish.

The spicy and complex aroma drifted from the small tent positioned between the General Assembly Building and the state Capitol.

People didn’t need directions where to go: They could just follow their nose across the Capitol grounds.

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com “Better get there early,” said lobbyist Mark Hubbard, who did not arrive early enough to receive a bowl of stew and saltine crackers, “And I do work for Brunswick County.”

Brunswick Stew Day is an annual event at Capital Square, celebrating the signature dish of Brunswick County, located in southern Virginia bordering North Carolina.

The stew is free to the public but mostly serves state legislators. Several pounds were packaged to take directly to the House and Senate.

“I think we needed two pots this year,” said volunteer Bernard Jones, a member of the Town Council of Lawrenceville, the seat of Brunswick County. Jones said this is the first time in his 12 years of volunteering at Brunswick Stew Day to see the stew run out so quickly.

Brunswick Stew Day features the first-place winner from the Taste of Brunswick Festival, which is held every October in Brunswick County.

Last October, Clark Bennett received that honor (for the second time). And so he was the stew master for Brunswick Stew Day 2016.

The winning stew crew from the Taste of Brunswick Festival receives a small cash prize and a large wooden paddle to stir the pot. The winners also cook their recipe for the General Assembly on the fourth Wednesday in January during its legislative session.

The Taste of Brunswick Festival can have more than 30 stew crews competing, and every year the winning stew tastes different. B.K. Roberts, Brunswick County’s sheriff for the past eight years, is also a stew judge.

At last fall’s festival, Roberts voted for Bennett’s stew crew because “it packed a little heat” – a quality the sheriff especially appreciates while judging stews.

Bennett’s stew crew for Brunswick Stew Day consisted of three friends: Caleb Hinkle, Michael Wright and Kyle Gee. They called themselves the Danieltown Stew Crew, from Alberta, Va. Bennett’s father, Billy, who was also a stew master, tragically died in a car accident in 2004, but Bennett has pushed forward and continued his father’s culinary legacy. On a banner in the tent on Wednesday, the Danieltown Stew Crew dedicated the stew “in loving memory of Billy Bennett.”

Bennett would not disclose his secret ingredients. While cooking, he meticulously watched the stew for any imperfections, such as bruised potatoes or clumped spices. He

would point them out, and one of his three sous-chefs would remove the offending items with a cooking tong.

Bennett wanted his stew immaculate.

It should also be mentioned that the stew had been marinating for a good eight hours before it was served and had to be stirred constantly. “Or else it will burn,” Bennett said, “and I’m not planning on it burning.”

What’s the history of Brunswick stew? The story around the campfire goes like this: In the 1820s, Dr. Creed Hoskins, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and several friends were out hunting in Brunswick County while their camp cook, Jimmy Mathews, made their supper. Mathews grabbed what he had and put it in a pot: squirrel meat, butter, onions and stale bread. The rest is history.

Some of the original ingredients have since been replaced with more common items, like poultry and vegetables. Brunswick County proudly stakes claim to the original birthplace of the thick, historic stew.

Just as oysters are to New Orleans, said Bobby Conner, project manager for the Brunswick County/Lake Gaston Tourism Association, the group that organizes Brunswick Stew Day. “Brunswick stew is unique to Virginia.”

But as a location, the word Brunswick is not unique. There is a Brunswick County in North Carolina and a city named Brunswick in Georgia.

“Georgia always wants to take credit for Brunswick stew,” laughed Lawrenceville Mayor Bill Herrington, who volunteered his time at Wednesday’s event. But rest assured, he said, Virginia is the real birthplace of the stew.

Virginia legislators think so, too.

In 1988, the General Assembly proclaimed Virginia as the stew’s “place of origin” and the stew itself as an “astonishing gastronomical miracle.”

“I don’t care where it’s made,” Bennett said. He said Georgia’s Brunswick stew contains more meat products such as steak, beef and Boston butt (a cut of pork) and has a very barbeque flavor. “The two stews are just different – pizza and noodles.”

Bennett began serving his stew at 11 a.m., and people quickly started lining up outside the tent. One early arrival was Anne Holton, Virginia’s secretary of education. She is a “huge fan” of Brunswick stew.

Holton said she often travels with her husband – U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a former Virginia governor – to Brunswick County, and not only for politi-

cal reasons. “It’s mainly for the stew,” Holton admitted, laughing.

The General Assembly officially established Brunswick Stew Day on the Capitol grounds in 2002 by passing House Resolution 2. It was sponsored by Del. Tommy Wright, who is from Lunenburg County, Brunswick’s next-door neighbor.

Wright dropped by the tent on Wednesday to stir the pot, literally, and of course enjoy a cup of stew.

“We all at the General Assembly really look forward to this,” Wright said, smiling. “We intend on doing this forever.”

Court Hears Transgender Student’s Appeal to Use Restroom

By Sarah King Capital News Service At 15 years old, Gavin Grimm stood before the Gloucester County School Board – twice – and listened to community members discuss his anatomy in a public forum.

“I was terrified,” Grimm, now in his junior year at Gloucester High School, said this week. “I was in a room full of adults who thought it appropriate to have this sort of vulgar discussion, who would clap or cheer after every derogatory statement, of which there were many.”

Grimm lives and identifies as male – and has been taking hormone therapy as recommended treatment for gender dysphoria. But the Gloucester school system has prohibited him from using the boys’ restrooms at the high school.

On Wednesday, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union appeared before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to argue that the school district is violating Grimm’s constitutional rights by requiring transgender students to use “alternative, private” restrooms.

The ACLU, which represents Grimm, said Gloucester’s policy violates federal nondiscrimination laws under Title IX and the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This is the first time that a federal court of appeals is considering the issue.

“Both sides presented arguments, and we now have to wait for the court to issue a ruling,” said Bill Farrar, director of public relations at the ACLU of Virginia. “Our best guess is that will take a couple of months.”

As Grimm began his sophomore year in fall 2014, he and his mother notified school administrators about Grimm’s gender identity, and he was

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com given permission to use the boys’ bathroom. Grimm did so for almost two months without any incident, according to a brief the ACLU filed with the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

But on Dec. 9, 2014, the School Board adopted the new policy by a vote of 6-1, and Grimm has had to use an isolated restroom in the nurse’s office ever since.

“The trek to the restroom in the

nurse’s office each time it was necessary was similarly humiliating, similarly upsetting and ‘othering’ and dysphoria-inducing,” Grimm said in a statement Wednesday. “The only difference was that it was just slightly less conspicuous.”

Specifically, Grimm said the School Board passed a policy limiting the use of restroom facilities to students with “corresponding biological genders” and required students with “gender

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identity issues” to use alternative facilities.

“Even if we use the separate but equal framework, it’s clearly not equal,” Joshua Block, senior staff attorney for the ACLU, said at a press conference after the appeals court hearing. “It’s basically a restroom from a converted closet that only Gavin has to use because other people hypothetically object to using the same restroom as him.”

In June, the ACLU filed a motion for a preliminary injunction with the U.S. District Court in Newport News.

It asked the court to rule in time for Grimm to be able to use the same restroom as other boys at Gloucester High School when classes resumed for the 2015-16 school year.

But in September, U.S. District Judge Robert Doumar denied the injunction and dismissed Grimm’s claim under Title IX. The ACLU appealed that ruling to the 4th Circuit Court in Richmond. A panel of three

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 25 appellate judges – Paul Niemeyer, Henry Franklin Floyd and Andre Davis – heard the case Wednesday.

“Schools can and should have privacy protections, but what they can’t do is exclude transgender students,” Block told the judges during the 45minute hearing.

Attorney David Corrigan, who represents the Gloucester School Board, said the school system’s policies are not discriminatory because the alternative unisex restrooms are open to anyone.

“Our position is that all students are treated the same,” he said.

After the hearing, Block described Grimm as a courageous young man.

“Gavin, before he met anyone from the ACLU, was standing up by himself at a School Board meeting in front of a room of hostile adults explaining why he should have the right everyone else has to use the bathroom in peace,” Block said.

Both the U.S. Department of Edu-

cation and the U.S. Department of Justice have since ruled that, under Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972, schools must allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that are consistent with their gender identity.

“I am fighting this fight because no kid should have to think so hard about performing a basic and private function of being alive,” Grimm said.

“No kid struggling to be accepted, and struggling to accept themselves, should have to simultaneously battle for the right to use the correct bathroom.”

The appeal in the Gloucester case comes on the heels of a landmark ruling by the Education Department in a similar case brought by the ACLU of Illinois. In that case, the Education Department held that a suburban Chicago school had violated federal law by denying a transgender female student access to gender-appropriate See VIRGINIA, 26

Page 26 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016 VIRGINIA, from 25 locker room facilities.

To date, several federal agencies – including the U.S. Labor Department, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Office of Personnel Management – have agreed that transgender people should be able to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity.

“I can say I did not set out to make waves; I set out to use the bathroom,” Grimm said as he began tearing up at Wednesday’s press conference. “It is scary. And it’s not easy. But I will do my best to help anyone.”

Gov. McAuliffe Touts ‘New Virginia Economy’

By Matt Chaney Capital News Service Gov. Terry McAuliffe told an optimistic story about the state of Virginia’s economy, while emphasizing the need to improve education, before a crowd of more than 275 business people from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

McAuliffe said more Virginians today have better-paying jobs than before he was elected. Some statistics he quoted implied that the state’s economy is stronger than it has ever been. He said: • 568 new economic development projects have occurred during his tenure.

• $9.34 billion in new capital has come to the state in that time – nearly double the amount under any other governor in Virginia history.

• Virginia has enjoyed 21 consecutive months of year-over-year job growth.

• 96,500 new jobs have been created in the past few years.

• 3,856,100 jobs exist in the state, the most in Virginia history.

• The state’s unemployment rate is 4.2 percent, the lowest in the Southeast United States and the lowest in

Virginia since the recession in 2008.

• As a result, unemployment claims are the lowest they’ve been in 41 years in Virginia.

• Personal income per capita over the past 12 months has increased 3.4 percent.

“I’m willing to work with anybody, anytime,” McAuliffe told attendees at the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Day at the Capitol.

“I tell folks when they come in my office, does it create a job, does it create economic activity? If it doesn’t, then I really don’t have too much time to waste on it, because I’m driven about growing and diversifying the economy.”

While the governor spoke at length about the current state of the economy, he also discussed the need to improve education and ensure that Virginia has a well-trained workforce to keep up with the demands of a changing economy.

McAuliffe emphasized the need to better fund community college job training programs, while citing the relatively low figure of $5 million a year that Virginia currently spends on such programs. By comparison, North Carolina, one of Virginia’s closest economic competitors, spends $92 million a year on such programs.

“Over the next decade, two thirds of the 1.5 million jobs we will have to fill, here in Virginia, will require the skills and knowledge demonstrated by industry certifications, occupational licenses and other workforce credentials. Not necessarily a fouryear degree. But a two-year degree,” he said. “We have to get in the game on this.”

He also emphasized the need to improve K-12 education, through funding and higher standards.

“If you look at my budget, education, I talk about the investment we’ll make, $1 billion to put 2,500 teachers back in the classrooms that had been cut. We’ve got money in it for our community colleges … $800 million for our higher education schools,

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com $200 million for our community colleges.”

McAuliffe was among several state officials who addressed the annual Chamber Day gathering.

At the event, the Chamber of Commerce elected Tom Palmer of Wells Fargo & Company to serve as chairman of the organization’s board of directors. Palmer served as first vice chair of the board in 2015. He succeeds 2015 chairman Stacy Mendler, chief operating officer of Alion Science and Technology.

Palmer is a senior vice president and regional vice president for the Central Virginia regional commercial banking office of Wells Fargo, based in Richmond. He also oversees the Eastern Virginia commercial banking office.

that this is an unfair tax,” Keam said Wednesday in an interview in his office at Capital Square. “It’s not equitable for women to have to pay a tax on something that guys don’t have to spend money on.”

Virginia is one of 40 states that tax tampons and sanitary napkins.

Of the 10 states that don’t tax these products, five deliberately changed their laws specifically to end the policy. The other five do not have a sales tax at all.

“I believe this is such an essential product for women that in the code of Virginia, we have a discriminatory impact on one gender and not on the other,” Keam said. “From a policy perspective, I don’t think it makes

sense for us to treat women differently from men in terms of what they have to buy as an essential product.”

The tax on tampons by many states has generated controversy and discussion on the Internet recently.

President Obama weighed in on the issue in an interview with YouTube personality Ingrid Nilsen for the news organization AJ+.

Obama said he has no idea why states would tax feminine hygiene products. “I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”

Keam’s bill would add feminine hygiene products to the list of miscellaneous sales tax exemptions in Virginia.

Bill Would Remove Sales Tax on Tampons

By Margaret Carmel Capital News Service Virginia’s sales tax covers almost everything you buy, from athletic socks to zippers. But it doesn’t apply to medicine, contact lenses and certain other personal health items.

Now, the General Assembly is considering adding feminine hygiene products to the list of exemptions.

Del. Mark Keam, D-Vienna, introduced House Bill 952, which seeks to remove the sales tax on tampons and sanitary napkins in Virginia. Currently these items are taxed at the standard rate, like most other items: 6 percent in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, and 5.3 percent in the rest of the state.

“I think that most people, Republican and Democrats, would agree

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Friday, February 5 Forecast 43° | 28° 10:30am - 11am Dance Party!

Handley Library. Toddlers, Preschoolers, & their grown-ups are welcome to boogie down!

1:30pm - 2:30pm Education Committee. Chamber Office.

Saturday, February 6 Forecast 48° | 30° 1pm - 2:30pm Family Film. Bowman Library, 871 Tasker Road, Stephens City. Join us Saturdays at the Bowman Library for a Family Picnic and Movie event. Families are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch to the show. Popcorn and lemonade will be served. The movie showing is free and sponsored by the Friends of Handley Regional Library. February

6: Charlotte’s Web. 2pm - 4pm Love in the Afternoon - Romance Writer Panel. Handley Library. What’s more addictive than romance? Perhaps romance novels.

They account for a hefty portion of all fiction paperback sales, with many millions of readers worldwide experiencing the thrills and heartbreaks of these ever-appealing stories. For the aspiring writer, there is ample opportunity to publish in this field. For the reader, one can choose from variety of subgenres including historical, contemporary and paranormal.

Three authors, Meg Adams, Margaret Locke and Laura Butler will take time to talk about their books, the ins and outs of self and traditional publishing, the value of writer’s groups and answer questions from the audi-

ence.

6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. North Fork Resort Associates, 301 North Fork Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes, progressive games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab, and brand new electronic pull tab games. Find us on Facebook. (540) 636-7152. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

Sunday, February 7 2pm - 5pm Open House & Grand Opening Event. Center for Intentional Wellness, 117 S. Boscawen Street, Winchester. Open House. Presentation at 2:30 pm, Refreshments and Door Prizes. First twenty guests to arrive to the event will receive a free goody bag.

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 27

Monday, February 8 10:30am - 11am Preschool Time.

Handley Library. No registration is required. Most appropriate for preschoolers age 3 and up. Free and open to the public.

11am - 11:30am Toddler Story Time. Bowman Library. For those three and under. A program of stories, songs, finger plays, flannel boards and movement.

4:30pm - 5:30pm Coloring Club.

Handley Library. Tweens and teens join us every Monday to color and unwind.

4:30pm - 5:30pm Lego Club. Bowman Library. Calling all elementary and middle school Lego builders!

Design and construction themes are different each week. Free, no registration required.

6pm - 7pm Teen Advisory Board.

Bowman Library. Teen Advisory Board for Bowman Library Open to Middle and High School students.

Plan and present events, advise on library materials, advise on tween and teen library events, assist with other library events and activities.

7pm - 8pm Council Meeting.

County of Warren Government Center.

Tuesday, February 9 10:30am - 11am Baby Story Time.

Handley Library. Bring Infants (birth to 15 months) to enjoy stories, finger plays, and songs. Stay afterwards to socialize and play!

10:30am - 11am Preschool Story Time. Clarke County Library. Hear great stories and fun with Mary!

Clarke For ages 3 and up.

12:30pm - 1pm Tourism Tuesdays.

95.3 - the River radio station. Hear the latest tourism related news and events every Tuesday at 12:30!

2pm - 5pm Tapestry Committee.

Handley Library. Tapestry Committee will meet.

6pm - 6:30pm Twilight Tales. Bowman Library. A family event at Bowman Library. Stories, music, finger plays, movement and a craft.

7pm - 8pm BAR Meeting. Town Administration Building, Front Royal.

See CALENDAR, 28

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Page 28 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016 CALENDAR, from 27 Wednesday, February 10 11am - 2pm AARP Free Tax Help.

Bowman Library. AARP will be offering free tax help. No Reservations needed. Sign-up begins when the library opens at 10 A.M. For more information call AARP At (540) 2476479. This is not a library program.

11am - 11:30am Preschool Story Time. Bowman Library. For ages 2-5.

A lively 30-minute program of stories, puppets, dancing and songs.

3:30pm - 5pm Chamber Board Meeting. Chamber Office.

4:15pm - 4:45pm Spanish with Angela. Bowman Library. Using games, songs, puppets and picture books children and their parents will learn the Spanish language.

4:30pm - 7:30pm Chess. Handley Library. Open chess games. 1-on-1 instruction for new players. At 5:30 PM a lecture is available on Chess Basics and Strategy. Families, adults, kids -- all ages and skill levels – are welcome to come and play. Bring your board or just yourself. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit http:// www.winchesterchess.com.

6pm - 7:30pm Shenandoah Poetry Alliance. Handley Library. For any and all poets. Sponsored by Friends of HRL. 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. North Fork Resort Associates, 301 North Fork Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes, progressive games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab, and brand new electronic pull tab games. Find us on Facebook. (540) 636-7152. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

program is a developmentally appropriate transition from our “Baby Time” program to “Preschool Time.”

We are growing readers here! Programs are free and open to the public.

11am - 11:30am Baby Story Time.

Bowman Library. Story time for Infants (birth to 15 months). A program of songs, stories, clapping and

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Friday, February 12 10:30am - 11am Dance Party!

Handley Library. Toddlers, Preschoolers, & their grown-ups are welcome to boogie down!

12pm - 1pm Little Noon Music.

Handley Library. “Someone to Ride the River With” is a Winchester

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2003 Ford Taurus with 135k miles. Fully loaded - leather seats 3.0L V6 Blue/Gray asking $1800. Please call 540-545-8933 leave message anytime, will call back. Jim.

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2013 Toyota Corolla for sale, 4-cyl, dohc 16 valve, 4sp-auto, AM/FM/CD/Bluetooth, Magnet grey/bl int., 16” spoke alloy wheels, $15,000/Neg. 540-636-0490 or 540-6310539 leave message

Mercury outboards; 20 hp $800.00, 10 hp $500.00, Prentice vise “old 108” 6” jaws $1000.00, Helen Jean Smith 1987 framed Edinburg print $400.00, John J Pershing 1927 signed photo to General Passaga $1600.00, Antique Oak Ice box, 3 door org wheels $1200.00; Aluminum Light Poles 12’ tall x 4” od, square anchor, call 540-6602913

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Thursday, February 11 10:30am - 11am Preschool Story Time. Clarke County Library. Hear great stories and have fun! For ages 3 and up.

10:30am - 11am Toddler Time.

Handley Library. An Early Literacy program designed specifically for active toddlers, ages 3 and under. This

Current Job Openings. Contact the VEC for additional information at 540-722-3420 or 540-535-2875 or Winchester@vec.virginia. gov. Please enter “Employer Services” in the subject line and job number and title when you inquire about the position:

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Dolls for sale, all prices. Cookie Jars, $20 and up.. Old wicker baby stroller, $100.

Large ceramic owl, $25.00. Blue canning jars $4 each. Mens size 11 Florsheim shoes, like new, $50. Old Schwinn girls bicycle, needs tires, $50. Call 540-662-9023 Long Time Collections for sale: Carnival Glass, Pottery; E. Texas, Roseville, Depression glass (green and pink), Jewelry from the 50’s and forward. Call 540-635-1612 RENTALS Rental, Temporary housing. Mountain Lodge, high atop High Knob. 2-BR,2-BA full furnished, Winter rate $2,200 mthly incl.all util. maidservice + snow removal. Avail.Dec.5 call 703-860-2711 110 N. Massanutten Street, Strasburg, Va. Commerical space. $750 per side. Call 202302-9129

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Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 29

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com

Death notices

Bonnie Baker Anderson, 58, of White Post, Virginia, died January 30, 2016, at Blue Ridge Hospice. Memorial contributions may be made to the SPCA 115 Featherbed Ln, Winchester, VA 22601 Thomas R. Hart, 80, of Winchester, Virginia, died on January 29, 2016, at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center in West Virginia.

Seth Huston Rutherford, Jr., 94, of Maurertown, Virginia, died Sunday, January 31, 2016, at his home. In Lieu of flowers Memorial contributions in Seth’s name may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 West Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, Virginia, 22601 or Toms Brook United Methodist Church/Kitchen Fund, 3263 South Main Street, Toms Brook, Virginia 22660.

Michael Daniel Pettit, Sr., “Mike a.k.a.

Clutch,” 66, of Bunker Hill, WV, passed away on Friday, January 29, 2016. - Daniel Pettit, Sr. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United States Marine Corps Museum, 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle, Virginia 22172 or http://www.usmcmuseum. com/CTA_Donate.asp.

Betty Lee M. (Wilhelm) Oswald Foulk, 88, of Winchester, Virginia, died Monday, January 25, 2016 at Blue Ridge Hospice Residential Care Center surrounded by her family. Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 West Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, VA 22601 or Opequon Presbyterian Church, 217 Opequon Church Lane, Winchester, VA 22602 Joyce Lynn Stewart, a resident of Winchester, passed away at home in the loving company of her family on January 24, 2016. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, 9702 Gayton Road, Suite 110, Richmond, Virginia 23238 or Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 West Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, Virginia 22601.

Anyone choosing to send floral tributes, the family suggests that they be potted plants or dish gardens.

Gordon Christian “Bill” Hildebrand, 91, of Frederick County, Virginia, died Sunday, January 24, 2016, at Winchester Medical Center.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brucetown United Methodist Church, 2161 Brucetown Road, Clear Brook, Virginia, 22624.

Diana Lynn Orndoff DeHaven, 61, of Frederick County, VA died Friday, January 22, 2016 at Envoy Nursing and Rehab Facility. Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 1833 Plaza Drive, Winchester, VA 22601 or Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, VA 22601.

Elizabeth Ann Wine Golliday of Winchester, Virginia passed from this life into her eternal home in heaven into the arms of Jesus Christ, her beloved Savior, on February 3, 2016.

Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St., Winchester, VA 22601.

Betty Lowery Dehaven, 79, of Winchester, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at Winchester Medical Center.

Memorial contributions may be made to Winchester Church of God, 2080 N. Frederick Pike, Winchester, VA 22603 or to The Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675.

Jane Young Rudolph, 92, of Stephenson, VA died Monday, January 25, 2015 in the Winchester Medical Center. Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork Street, Winchester, VA 22601 or Church of the Good Shepherd, 645 Berryville Pike, Winchester, VA 22601.

Harold Marshall Fincham, loving husband, father, and grandfather of Winchester, VA ,went to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 24, 2016. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Winchester Grace Brethren Church.

based folk duo. The rhythmic sounds of claw hammer banjo and melodic sweetness of guitar set the background for beautiful vocal harmonies in this intimate group. Performing a combination of original tunes and beloved folk songs, Someone to Ride the River With is sure to present a marriage of nostalgic and unique sounds. Someone to Ride the River With is: Jamie Blum- Banjo, Vocals and Terence Marciano- Guitar, Vocals. sponsored by Friends of HRL. Saturday, February 13 11am - 11:30am Story Time. Bowman Library. For ages 3 and up. A 30minute program of stories, puppets, dancing and songs.

12pm - 2pm Family Film. Handley Library. Join us for a family picnic and movie event. Families are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch.

Programs are free and open to the public. No registration is required.

February 13: Tangled.

1pm - 2:30pm 10 Signs That You’re Sabotaging Your Health. Center for Intentional Wellness, 117 W. Boscawen St. Winchester. Confused about which foods and practices are healthy? Perplexed because “official” dietary recommendations are contradictory? The truth is that while there is no one eating program that fits everyone precisely, there are some principles that are beneficial to most. Learn simple steps that you can follow to help yourself live a more healthy and rewarding life. (540) 7734120. $15.00 1pm - 2:15pm Paws for Reading.

Bowman Library. Read a favorite book to a reading tutor. It is Paws for Reading! These canine listeners are patient and love kids. Come meet our certified therapy dogs.

6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. North Fork Resort Associates, 301 North Fork Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes,

progressive games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab, and brand new electronic pull tab games. Find us on Facebook. (540) 636-7152. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

Sunday, February 14 Valentine’s Day 2pm - 3pm Health Education and Empowerment Series The Power of Prevention Through Early Detection.

Center for Intentional Wellness, 117 W. Boscawen St. Winchester. Putting the pHun in pH Continuing from the previous class, we will help you learn how simple, inexpensive, user-friendly tools can be employed at home to help you monitor your health. Practical demonstration featured. (540) 773-4120.

Monday, February 15 Presidents’ Day Library Closings.

Bowman Library, Clarke County Library, and Handley Library will be closed today in observance of Presidents’ Day. 7pm - 8pm Council Work Session.

Town Administration Building, 102 E. Main St. Tuesday, February 16 12:30pm - 1pm Tourism Tuesdays.

95.3 - the River radio station. Hear the latest tourism related news and events every Tuesday at 12:30!

7pm - 8pm BZA Meeting. Front Royal Administration Building, 102 E Main Street, Front Royal.

Wednesday, February 17 11am - 2pm AARP Free Tax Help.

Bowman Library. AARP will be offering free tax help. No Reservations needed. Sign-up begins when the library opens at 10 A.M. For more information call AARP At (540) 2476479. This is not a library program.

11am - 11:30am Preschool Story Time. Bowman Library. For ages 2-5.

A lively 30-minute program of stories, puppets, dancing and songs.

2:30pm - 8pm Tour. Handley Library. The Winchester City Insights group will tour Handley Library at 3:00and at 6:30. Pat Ritchie will lead tours.

4:15pm - 4:45pm Spanish with Angela. Bowman Library. Using games, songs, puppets and picture books children and their parents will learn the Spanish language.

6pm - 6:30pm Pajama Story Time.

Handley Library. Can’t make it dur-

EXCELLENT SCENIC RIDES

Front Royal Warren County Airport

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Airplane Rides Year-round!

20 Minute Scenic Flights - $65 Per Person GIFT CERTIFICATE AVAILABLE, Intro Flight Training $99,

See Gliders every weekend!

• Group Discount • Flight Training • Aircraft Rentals • Photo Flights

• Glider Club • Charter Flights • New Hangars • Tie Down Avail. *LIW &HUWLÀFDWHV • New Taxiway

ing the day? The whole family is invited to put on pajamas and slippers and join us for bedtime stories. Bring your favorite snuggly.

6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. North Fork Resort Associates, 301 North Fork Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes, progressive games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab, and brand new electronic pull tab games. Find us on Facebook. (540) 636-7152. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

7pm - 8pm Planning Commission Meeting. County of Warren Government Center.

Thursday, February 18 10:30am - 11am Preschool Story Time. Clarke County Library. Hear great stories and have fun! For ages 3 and up.

10:30am - 11am Toddler Time.

Handley Library. An Early Literacy program designed specifically for active toddlers, ages 3 and under. This program is a developmentally appropriate transition from our “Baby Time” program to “Preschool Time.”

We are growing readers here! Programs are free and open to the public.

11am - 11:30am Baby Story Time.

Bowman Library. Story time for Infants (birth to 15 months) A program of songs, stories, clapping and tapping.

5pm - 8pm Third Thursday Art Walk. Downtown Front Royal.

Friday, February 19 10:30am - 11am Dance Party!

Handley Library. Toddlers, Preschoolers, & their grown-ups are welcome to boogie down!

5:30pm - 8pm Game Night. Bowman Library. Get Your Game On! It’s a Gaming Night presented by the Teen Advisory Board of Bowman Library. This program is intended for middle school and high school students. It is free with no registration required.

Saturday, February 20 7am 11am Country Breakfast. North Warren Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company 10, 89 Rockland Road, Front Royal. Pancakes, biscuits, sausage, bacon, sausage and chip beef gravy, scrambled eggs, baked apples, coffee, juice, and hot tea. Adults $8.00; 4 to 12 years old $4.00; under 3 free.

10am - 11:30am Chess Club. Bowman Library, 871 Tasker Road, SteSee CALENDAR, 30

Does your cat or dog need spay or neutering?

Contact Spay Today, our area's non-profit, reduced-priced spay and neuter program.

CHOOSE: MANY vets over a WIDE area!

NEW vets added!

Contact Spay Today: www.baacs.org or call 304-728-8330

We thank you as we start this new year.

Your help and support in reaching so many is appreciated by them -- and by Spay Today!

With many thanks and the best of wishes for you in 2016.

Fran Barker

Volunteer for Spay Today

Page 30 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com CALENDAR, from 29

We Believe.

We believe the best people in the world work right here. And we believe you could be one of them.

Working Here We believe the words “Welcome to McDonald’s” should apply to our employees just as much as our customers. We’re proud of our food, and we’re just as proud of the jobs we create.

Benefits We strive to hire and keep the brightest and the best. And to do that, we’ve put together perks designed to make you smile - even before you pick up your paycheck. From flexible schedules and competitive wages to management training. Our benefits let you know you’re a valued part of our team.

Apply Online www.mcvirginia.com/12132 or www.mcvirginia.com/2075

The Oak Club Our best seller at lunch comes with chips, salad or fresh cut fries for just $5.95.

All Sports...

All the time

So what’s it going to be?

White or wheat?

The Oak Grill in Front Royal

$5.95

phens City. Become a chess champ!

Develop another winning move!

Learn and play! Led by members of Shenandoah Valley Chess Club for all ages and all skill levels.

11am - 12:30pm Author Harry Jaffe book talk. Handley Library. “Why Bernie Sanders Matters” is the first biography of Vermont’s enigmatic Senator. Stretching back to his youth, the book is a comprehensive assessment of Senator Sanders’ career, and what lead him to be a presidential candidate. Copies of “Why Bernie Sanders Matters” will be available for purchase at this event, provided

by Winchester Book Gallery. Mr. Jaffe has been a journalist since 1974, coming to Washington, DC in 1978 as the Press Secretary to Senator Patrick Leahy. Since leaving the Senate, Mr. Jaffe has written for many newspapers and magazines including the San Francisco Examiner and Philadelphia Inquirer. Additionally, Mr. Jaffe is one of Washingtonian Magazine’s editors at large. He is the coauthor of Dream City: Race, Power and the Decline of Washington, DC; and collaborated with Michelle Rhee on Radical and with Gabrielle Giffords and Michael Kelly on ENOUGH; Our Fight to Keep America Safe from Gun Violence.

11am - 12pm Pancake Day. Bow-

Now Hiring Ad Sales Reps in Winchester and Frederick County

Email: Dan@AreaGuides.com

Front Royal Little League & Washington Nationals Baseball Plus the award-winning News At Noon & Valley Today, local news & sports updates throughout the day and up-to-date weather from local meteorologist Kemp Miller Serving Front Royal and Warren County since 1948

www.facebook.com/SportsRadio1450WFTR

We Mow Lawns

Commerce Ave. across from Southern States Front Royal, Va. 540-635-FOOD

Low Prices Call Gary 540-683-1045

Mid February, 2016 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 31

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com man Library, 871 Tasker Road, Stephens City. Pancake Day or Maslenitsa is a special holiday in Ukraine.

Games, music, dancing, and pancakes. Suzy Pancake from IHOP will stop by for a visit.

1pm - 2:30pm Family Film. Bowman Library. Family Picnic and Movie event. Families are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch to the show. Popcorn and lemonade will be served. The movie showing is free and sponsored by the Friends of

540-635-4734

Handley Regional Library. February 20: Home on the Range.

1pm - 2pm Tour. Handley Library, 100 W Piccadilly St, Winchester.

Staff members and volunteers will give tours, concentrating on the architecture and history of the library.

The tours will take you behind the scenes to all floors of the library, including the famous glass floors and the well under the stage. The tours are free, but making reservations is helpful. To make reservations or for

more information, call 540 662-9041, ext. 11.

2pm - 4pm Telling Our Story with Nancy Finley Barbour. Handley Library. In celebration of Black History Month, Nancy Finley Barbour will give a talk entitled “Telling Our Story.” Nancy was born and raised on Winchester’s North End. After graduation from John Handley High School and James Madison University, Nancy has continued to do community service in her home town.

She is currently a Senior Consultant with CGI Federal in Washington, DC and owner of Code Success. Sponsored by Friends of HRL 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. North Fork Resort Associates, 301 North Fork Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes, progressive games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab, and brand new electronic pull tab games. Find us on Facebook. (540) 636-7152. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

6:30pm - 8:30pm Father-Daughter Black and White Ball. The Winchester Moose and Family Center, 215 E. Cork Street Winchester. Who said black and white can be boring??

Dress in your best for this glamorous

night on the town for daddies and daughters—but make sure all your attire is either black or white! Presented by Parks and Recreation.

Sunday, February 21 2pm - 3pm Health Education and Empowerment Series: The Power of Prevention through Early Detection.

Center for Intentional Wellness, 117 W. Boscawen St. Winchester. What’s Lymph Got to Do with It? Our naturopath will discuss the often overlooked importance of the lymphatic system in eliminating toxins, vital to maintaining good health, and show you some simple ways to clean and unblock the lymph system. Practical demonstration featured. (540) 7734120

Humane Society of Warren County

540-635-4734

Monday thru Sunday 10 am to 4 pm - Closed Wednesday • 1245 Progress Drive, Front Royal, VA • 540-635-4734 • humanesocietywc@gmail.com

Westminster Dog Show Raffle to benefit the Humane Society of Warren County: $10 per ticket for a 1 in 199 chance to win $350 cash!!

Each ticket number will be randomly assigned to a dog breed from the Westminster Dog Show. Check your number on the HSWC Facebook page. Watch the dog show February 15th and 16th to see if your breed/number wins! Tickets are available at the animal shelter located at 1245 Progress Drive Front Royal, VA. Winner announced February 17th.

Anna - 1 year old spayed female pit mix. Anna is house trained and knows basic commands. She can be a little shy, but once she gets to know you she is extremely affectionate and loves to play, especially with stuffed toys!

Anna does good with other dogs but can be nervous at first when meeting new dogs. Anna would do best in a home without cats or small children.

Anna’s ad sponsored by:

Hot Tub Heaven Vacation Cabins Dog Friendly!

540-636-1522

HotTubHeaven@yahoo.com

http://www.hottubheavencabins.com

Rain - 3 year old spayed female pit mix. Rain is house trained and knows sit, down and come.

She loves to run and play and needs someone who has a lot of time and attention to dedicate to her. She loves to fetch and chase after a ball or go for a nice long walk. Rain does need a home where she can be the only fur baby. She also plays very physically, so would probably be best in a home without young children. She is very lovable and affectionate with everyone she meets and would make a great companion dog.

Rain’s ad sponsored by:

The Front Royal Moose Lodge #829

Cranberry - 2 year old female pit mix. Cranberry is very affectionate and mild mannered. She does great with children, and our junior volunteers have really enjoyed spending time with her. Cranberry can be a little reactive with other dogs, so we would recommend a dog test with any dogs already in a potential new home. Cranberry came to the shelter as a stray, but we suspect she is house trained as she keeps her kennel very clean. She also knows the sit and down command. Cranberry does need a home without cats.

Bailey - 7 year old spayed female shepherd mix.

Bailey loves to go for long walks and does wonderfully on leash. She is very sweet and loves to be petted, but it has to be on her own terms.

She needs time to get to know new people and does not like certain parts of her body touched. She may also feel threatened when a person is leaning over her. She needs a home with no children and no other animals. Given time and patience, Bailey will make a great companion!

Cranberry’s ad sponsored by:

Bailey’s ad sponsored by:

Hillbilly’s Junkyard Hillbilly has what you NEED! 4381 Stonewall Jackson Hwy Bentonville, VA • 636-2671 hillbillysjunkyard.com

Wanda Snead

Property Management

Serving the area for 20 years!

Sam Snead Realty • 540-635-9753

SamSneadRealty.com

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!

Page 32 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2016

Read full issues FREE on www.WarrenCountyVA.com & www.FrederickCounty.com