Mid February 2017 Warren and Frederick County Report by Warren/Frederick County Report Newspaper

Warren FREE County Report Volume XII, Issue 3 Mid February, 2017

Page 2 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017

Local folks were represented at the Inauguration and Women’s March Although disagreeing on many issues, they also found some common ground

Matthew Reisinger took this photo just before President Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration on January 20. -Photo courtesy of Matthew Reisinger Women’s March. The Women’s Marchers were joined by more than 2 million people across the world, uniting people of all ages, races and religions. They were marching to show their resistance to the new administration and the Republican-led Congress they fear will roll back reproductive, civil and human rights. Front Royal resident Afiq Adi Arsall traveled to Washington D.C. with his family to attend President Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration. They found common ground when meeting those for and against President Trump’s ideals at the presidential inauguration on January 20. He is pictured here with Don Lemon of CNN, who points out Arsall’s patriotic beard, created by his daughter Lilly Dodson. – Photo courtesy of Afiq Adi Arsall By Carol Ballard Warren & Frederick County Report At the end of the third week in January, several Warren County’s residents attended two major American events in the nation’s capital. In response to a request sent out on the “What’s Up Front Royal!” Facebook site asking for people to share their experiences there, four members replied, and said they’d be happy to do that.

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On January 21, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the country’s 45th president, and on the following day, an estimated 500,000 women and men protested the first full day of President Trump’s tenure at the

Inauguration: January 20 Front Royal resident Afiq Adi Arsall, who says he isn’t Muslim, but changed his name because he liked its meaning in Arabic, traveled to Washington D.C. with his family to attend President Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration. Arsall’s 10-year-old daughter Lilly Dodson was the instigator of the trip. “She really wanted to go and even dyed my beard red, white and blue with hair dye and super-glued stars

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for the occasion,” said Arsall. He is a Trump supporter, but said that wasn’t his main reason for going. “I wanted to take her to see a diverse world where everyone has a different opinion. Front Royal is isolated politically, financially, racially and people don’t see all that is out there,” he said. He added that in Front Royal it’s not common for kids to be exposed to those with a different opinion or to all kinds of people. For example, a racially mixed couple they met at the event had opposite political views

from each other. She was for Hillary Clinton and he supported Donald Trump. “They gave us hugs and wanted to talk. It ended up perfect to what I wanted to happen,” he said. He said his daughter loved it and came to realize that everyone is in the same boat. He added that another woman he talked to was not a Trump fan, but nevertheless was positive about things. He described her as being very outspoken, sad to See INAUGURATION, 4

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 3

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Page 4 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 INAUGURATION, from 2 see Barack Obama leave, and sad for the future, but she also believed that if everyone sticks together we’d be ok. Arsall said he didn’t see any of the violent protestors that were featured in the live news reports. (It was mentioned in the broadcasts that the protestors were outside the “red zone” where Arsall and his family were) He said he and his family walked all over the parade route and that they didn’t see any trash, didn’t hear any profanity and even on the Metro ride in, ‘people were in the best spirits ever.’ He thinks anyone who didn’t go truly missed out on a once in a lifetime event. “I can’t believe it when I watch it on TV, how negative it sounds,” he said, and added that he thinks the protests at the inauguration were caused by fear, and that the news had affected people’s opinions. His experience was one of complete absence of fear. He said they covered about 50 blocks of the parade route, and there was so much law enforcement that if someone got out of line, they wouldn’t have gone ten feet before being apprehended. “We were completely away from all the protesters, and President Trump walked within 10 feet of us on the parade route. There were so many Secret Service agents in their Suburbans, they made a parade in themselves,” he said. Arsall noticed that the gloomy rainy weather would normally have hindered people from coming, but it didn’t, and even in the rain, people shared umbrellas. He really liked that his daughter saw how everyone got along, that she was excited and loved it. He believed that the point of the Inauguration is that it affects all of us. They wanted to go to the Women’s March the next day but his girlfriend, Marie Ortman, had to work, so they couldn’t.

When asked why he supported Trump, Arsall said he likes that he’s blunt, honest, comes from a strong business background, has traveled the world more than most, is a leader and a realist, says what the reality is, tells it like it is, and is totally different, and that is why he got elected. But he also said that you have to weigh the good and bad with everyone. The negative side of Trump, he believes, is that, “He says a lot of things I don’t agree with – inappropriate things. He says things on the spur of the moment, and doesn’t think things through before he speaks.” He believes that the country’s economy was a big issue, and that Hillary Clinton Hillary put him off because of stories about her campaign contributions, the Clinton Foundation and questions about donations from foreign countries. “I’m from the middle class. He (Trump) spoke to the working class, and I believe he will follow through. I didn’t vote for him because he’s white, rich or Republican. I don’t have a party—he just suited me better. I think he will bring jobs back and that’s why I voted for him. Everyone has the right to speak up, and people against Trump have every right to be, but I think he’s probably right for the job,” he said. He also believes that if everybody sat down and heard each other in order to get their points across without offending each other, it would be a good thing. Arsall ended with a request to send a “teasing comment” out to a good 40-year-long friend of his who he calls a strict Hillary Clinton supporter. (I believe she will know who he is referring to, but we don’t have her permission to print her name) “We battle back and forth on Face-

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Matthew Reisinger is another Front Royal resident who volunteered to talk about his experiences during the election and at the Inauguration. He is a college student at Lord Fairfax Community College and was excited to participate because this is the first presidential election that he has been old enough to vote in. “It was awesome to attend a peaceful transfer of power and see how it was conducted; to see the swearing in was really cool,” he said. Reisinger was eager to attend the inauguration event for several reasons. One was that he’s a Trump supporter and the other was to participate in a historical event. He also said it was a safe and good time. He was amazed at the presence of so many law enforcement officers and first responders. “It was one of the major things that stuck out,” he said,. Those he listed were: the Washington D.C and Capitol police; the National Guard; Secret Service; Customs and Border Guards; TSA; Homeland Security; and police officers from New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. With all of them there, he felt pretty safe the whole time and said since people knew they were there, they could either freely protest or support. Reisinger could see protesters about six or seven blocks away from where he was and saw the limousine that had been set on fire. “It was amazing, to see on one side, the peaceful transition of power and then a few blocks away, people

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 5 because he felt he stood more for the working class, and had felt left out in the last few elections. “I thought he would stick up more for the working and middle class, and I feel he’ll stand by it over time. We’ll see as time goes on,” he said.

Warren

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Women’s March: January 21 Angel Brown

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Participants in the Women’s March crowded the Metro station on their way to the event. – Photo courtesy of Angel Brown also respect everyone’s right to express their opinions peacefully,” he said. He noticed that there were reporters from several foreign countries, including Canada and Japan, and that the whole world was watching. Reisinger was interested in the process of the elections from the beginning, and was an election official in the county at the North Warren Fire Station polling site, there “to oversee the process and make sure everyone was able to exercise their right to vote.” “I was surprised at all of the nominees. There were a couple I thought would get close to it,” he said.

A group of friends and he were in the ticketed section at the inauguration. Some senators and representatives had given a limited number of tickets through social media. They got them on the Thursday before the event, and he said they were grateful for their kindness. At the actual event, the group was situated a few blocks from the White House and mostly saw it on big screens, but watched when the group (President Barack Obama and Michelle and President-elect Donald Trump and Melania) came down the steps, although they looked very small from that distance. He also said he supported Trump

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Angel Brown and a group of her friends went to the Women’s March on January 21, the day after the presidential inauguration, to protest the threats she feels are coming from the new administration toward marginalized people. “The amount of hate sparked from this administration has fueled a fire for certain people who hadn’t acted certain ways or said certain things in public. It’s crazy to me,” she said. And she isn’t just referring to gay, Hispanic or black folks. She is talking about anyone who is “different.” “It’s unfortunate if you’re different and not white, straight and Christian,” she said. Brown, who is openly gay, said she came out 12 years ago, and doesn’t feel animosity here where she was raised, and where her family is near. “Luckily, this town (Front Royal) is great for the most part. Maybe it’s because I grew up here, and a lot of people I know defend me from outsiders; they’re very accepting of me,” she said. Although the recent division that has come about because of the new president has shocked her. “People I’ve been close friends with my whole life (who disagree about Trump’s election) are physically threatening to smash each other’s face in on Facebook. It’s insane to me,” she said. She also mentioned an incident that happened at her work place where she is a bartender. “I was working last week and talking to people at a table, and was in the middle of a sentence when the person I was waiting on said, ‘I just want you to know I voted for Donald Trump and I’m glad I did.’ I kept on talking to them and just said ok. Then the woman, who knew I went to the Women’s March, went on to remark that she finds it ridiculous that people are doing marches and not respecting the president. I just let it go and realized it wasn’t the time or place to get into it with her. I tell people that I respect their opinion and where they stand on things and I expect the same respect,” she said.

As for the Women’s March, she called it peaceful and packed with people. She said she loved it because it encompassed so many groups and nothing upsetting happened. She mentioned that her mother was afraid for her, but she said she felt safe. She said the police were friendly and they shook hands with them and told them “Thank you.” “We saw every race, gender and all ages. One guy had his daughter on his shoulder. His sign read, ‘I’m walking for my wife, my mother and my daughter’ and her sign said ‘Girl Power’,” said Brown. She also said that she and her group joined in the marching event near the Trump Hotel. “The people marching wanted so much good to happen, and for that message to be conveyed, so I wasn’t scared at all,” she said, and added, “In my heart, I trust that police will do what they’re supposed to do and believe in the military, that beyond anything they have honor, integrity and will keep us safe.” She said it was the best thing she’s been a part of, and was very empowering. She also said people were very loving, and she didn’t experience anything negative. She added that one big misconception that some people have is that the march was a Millennial-spawned event. There were older men there who were supportive and marching for several reasons. “One guy who was a Vietnam Vet had a sign that read, ‘I’m a vet, stop using me to spread hate’,” she said. And one older woman had written on her sign, ‘Now you’ve pissed Grandma off!’ “It made me feel like one person really can make a difference. There were three-year-old boys and girls, and 70-year-old and older men and women. No matter who you are, you can make a difference,” she said. She is an active member of the Democratic Committee in Warren County and served at the polls in Browntown on election day. See INAUGURATION, 6

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Page 6 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 INAUGURATION, from 5 She does have concerns and those are some of the reasons why she went to the Women’s March. One of them is that President Trump, who has Supreme Court positions to fill, will try to fill them with justices who will overthrow the Court’s decision last year to declare gay marriage legal in all states. The justices found that, under the 14th Amendment, states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize same-sex unions that have been legally performed in other states. However, the President can only nominate potential Supreme Court justices, and the Senate must approve his selection by a simple majority vote (51 percent). The justices are not appointed until both steps of the process are complete. She also mentioned her concern that there’s a good possibility that the First Amendment Defense Act will go through. This act prohibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage. If passed, for example, in court cases dealing with restaurant staff refusing service to gay people and bakery workers refusing to make wedding cakes for gay couples, those refusing could win. “I marched for my niece so she can live in a world where she can be who she wants with no restrictions,” said Brown. She concluded, “I just hope we’re not going backwards.” Diane Lieber Diana Lieber thought the Women’s March was a very inspiring, wonderful message of equality and justice for all. “It was massive. I worked in Washington D.C. for five years and saw a lot of events and marches, but nothing on the scale of that,” she said. She and a group of friends went to the march and weren’t able to get closer than three blocks from the speakers’ stage, but could see and hear it on Jumbotrons and loudspeakers nearby. They were at the Air and Space Museum and it was packed all the way to the White House, so they stood and watched and listened from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. when the march started. “The beauty of it was that the whole emphasis was on kindness, equality, justice and the principles the United States was founded upon,” she said. It appears that she isn’t easily scared, as evidenced by her military and work history, but she was moved to participate in the Women’s March, and fear was one of the motivating factors. She was in the U.S. Air Force K-9

Angel Brown is shown here at the Women’s March with Katie Jones and Kristine Mauck. She said it was empowering and the best thing she’s been a part of. – Photo courtesy of Angel Brown law enforcement unit for 20 years, and retired as a Master Sergeant, worked in Miami for five years with a drug-detection unit and taught at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Training Center in Front Royal, and spent the last six years in the anti-terrorist unit there. “As a dedicated individual, a retired veteran, I marched for the nation and am extremely fearful for what is happening to it. I took an oath to protect and serve. I worked alongside Muslims and Mexicans and the hateful rhetoric is heartbreaking and brings me to tears; that this administration is tearing down the principles the country was founded upon. I couldn’t believe it when he (Trump) said Mexicans were rapists and murderers. I worked in Texas for seven years and all the Mexicans I met were hard-working and family oriented,” she said. She believes the Women’s March was a statement against the negativity expressed throughout the campaign, and believes the underlying belief of the marchers was that the current administration is on a dangerous path. “I’m fearful about what is going on, but felt the love of community and each other was strongly present at the march and found it to be way better than I had anticipated. At least to us there, it sent a message that we aren’t alone in the desire to have a loving country founded on unity and equality,” she said. As for the security at the event and the thought that there could be some danger in marching, her fears were put to rest, when after getting off the Metro and approaching the march site, she saw dump trucks blocking the streets. Lieber said she recognized, as a former law enforcement officer, that their presence was protection against the possibility of trucks barreling through the crowds. (something that has happened in other places during public events) At one point during the proceedings, someone had a medical emergency, and it was very hard for the police to get them out through the packed crowd, but just about everyone there was thanking them as they made their way through, and she was struck by the fact that it was a differ-

ent kind of event than she had ever seen, with younger and older women and men all there to talk about the principles of the United States and to honor law enforcement officers as well. She was impressed by the diversity of the speakers. The woman who organized the march gave birth during the planning stages and she spoke about wanting a better world for her child, and observed that if we live with hate, it will not be a better world. Lieber particularly liked Senator Duckworth’s speech. “She fought, was wounded and represents our nation, and is appalled at what’s going on right now, too. She’s the perfect example of what I’m talking about,” she said. Tammy Duckworth is the first Asian American woman elected to Congress in Illinois, the first disabled woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. An Iraq War veteran, Duckworth served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and suffered severe combat wounds, losing both of her legs and damaging her right arm. She was the first female double amputee from the war. “I’ve always said that ‘An eye for an eye’ makes the whole world blind,” said Lieber. One of her biggest fears is that the reaction of some of the younger people will be to radicalize in reaction to the hate and there may be more violent actions here and abroad and feels that the current administration’s actions toward other countries are putting our troops and US citizens in danger worldwide and in the U.S. as well. “If we can all come together, we can show the rest of the world we don’t agree with that, and that we as a people want to fight hate rhetoric with kindness,” she said hopefully. She described how surprised the police were at their thanks and when they passed the National Guard Unit, the women guards cheered them on. She ended this way, “We are going to make our voices heard. We’ll do what we can, not against the police, but more as a statement and with determination. We want to uphold what is in the Constitution and in the Declaration of Independence; the true foundation of the United States.

Folks from Front Royal who attended the Women’s March on November 21, the day after the presidential inauguration, included men who marched in support of the women. We see that the current administration is tearing that apart. We will not stand by while that is happening, and

we’ll be here for the next four years.” – carol@areaguides.com

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 7

Tour of RSW Regional Jail reveals a working system Inmates can focus on educational programs to help them make positive changes

RSW Program Coordinator Kathy Hale and Superintendent Wilson are partners in getting programs organized and made available to inmates at the facility. By Carol Ballard Warren & Frederick County Report The first time I was a member of a tour of the Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren County Regional Jail (RSW) was before it was finished, in May of 2013. Walking into the unfinished, muddy, concrete jail felt very grim and left me with a slightly depressed feeling. Looking into the bare cells that seemed impossibly small for two people to sleep in, was also a window into a world that I didn’t know anything about, and I was sad. I took another tour on January 12 last week and, while still aware that it is a jail, came away with completely different feeling, one of much more hope and far less sadness. I had an appointment with RSW’s Superintendent William Wilson, who met me in the reception area and took me on a two-hour tour. He was open and friendly and made sure I had a visitor’s identification badge. “That way, with it on, you can get

back out,” he said, making me laugh and defusing some of my nervousness. The tour was detailed and extensive. The first impression, after being taken into the “Sally port” between two locked doors, and then into an area where intake/booking and a breathalyzer test would be given, was of quiet and cleanliness. This is where an inmate going through those doors would first see a law enforcement officer. If inebriation was the only offense, they could be released when sober. But if the inmate isn’t eligible to be released after a night’s stay, they would be kept in a single cell for 48 hours to be given a medical screening and then classified according to their health, criminal history, and institutional history. Their physical condition would be evaluated with blood tests by a qualified nurse to determine whether they’ve had drugs in their system in the previous 72 hours or have been drinking heavily. If so, they can be de-toxed if neces-

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Color-coded prison uniforms are stacked in one of the first rooms inmates will encounter at the RSW jail. sary. When asked about the presence of drugs in RSW, Wilson was honest. “We try our best to keep drugs out, but it’s hard to do. We’ve had some go to the hospital who had inserted drugs in their body or had some mailed to them. Alcohol has been made here in plastic bags, bottles or in the clothing tubs,” he admitted. They are given a jail uniform, the color based on where they are placed in the facility. Colors are: All orange—being classified Orange and white—medium security White and black—maximum security Blue and white—trustee Eventually they are taken to the rooms where their personal effects are taken and stored in hanging zippered containers and given jail uniforms, personal hygiene supplies, sheets, blankets, towels and a container to carry them in. There isn’t a separate pillow, but one is built into the memory foam mattress they’re issued. Wilson said he tried using one of the mattresses and pronounced it to be comfortable. RSW Superintendent Wilson was hired in 2014, and began work in October that year. His career in Corrections began in Harrison County, West Virginia in 1983 as a correctional officer. He helped establish the Regional Jail system in West Virginia and was a correctional planner in the state’s regional prison authority in Charleston. He moved up to New Hampshire and was there from 1989 to 2005, then worked with the Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) in Richmond before taking on his job at the RSW Regional Jail. He appeared relaxed and open to all questions. He said he takes an active role at the facility and tries to go out and talk to inmates once a week when they can approach him if they want to talk. Referring to the recent issue of a guard and his illegal sexual behavior, he said, “There will probably be a few inmates (mostly female) who will want

to talk about the recent news report of a male guard having inappropriate contact with several inmates. One (reportedly consensual) incident occurred outside the jail in a home electronic monitoring setting with a female Warren County resident. The corrections officer has been charged with one felony and two misdemeanor counts and is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center waiting for a court appearance at the Warren County General District Court in February. “We try to educate them and tell them not to get involved,” Wilson said. On our tour, we went through the units fairly quickly, and no one approached us, so he’ll most likely have to answer those questions later on. If inmates have issues, they can also go to the officers in their unit who report to Wilson. He said that Deputy Superintendent Russ Gilkison also handles programs and looks into complaints and allegations. “We have all kinds of inmates here, everything from shoplifter to multimurderer. Where they are placed in the prison depends on the crime”

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Wilson continued. The tour continued through all of the jail’s alphabetically named units, from workforce dormitories, medium and maximum security and punitive segregation, to kitchens, classrooms, female and male housing, and a far-off view of the garden area on a hill behind the main building. One of the first things Wilson mentioned was his support of inmates’ education while they’re incarcerated. “The first thing I did was to get programs. Programming is very important. I like them to have as full a range of programs as possible to help them improve themselves. They can get a GED or special education here,” he said. He also appreciates the volunteers from the community who come with the intention to help inmates and mentioned that Dr. Yoder (Clinical psychologist Dr. Sherri Yoder, PSY.D) comes from Front Royal and volunteers counseling inmates in life skills. There are classes in anger management, parenting, transition from jail to the outside world where things may be very different from when they went in, how to stay sober on the outside and many more. “We’re very fortunate that the churches and local organizations do volunteering, the DOC probation and parole people hold classes, and Steve Foster (who is known for his famous mule “Amazing Grace” a.k.a. Gracie) comes here every week and talks – but so far he hasn’t brought Gracie with him,” he said. They also hold Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings and offer faith-based substance abuse programs. He said they appreciate all the classes that the Warren Coalition holds here. Calvary Episcopal does book drives, and Samuels Library donates used books, and others help in different ways. He advises anyone wanting to volunteer or to donate items to go through established organizations. Clergy can be made available for nearly every major religious affiliation. He added that males and females don’t have classes together, but sometimes are in the same place durSee JAIL, 8

Correction From the mid–January 2017 issue: When the Farmers Market closed in 2012, all but one organic farmer chose other means to sell that permitted sales in larger quantities. Linda Allen was asked by town employees to start the Market up again in 2013. With the help of Shelby Warrick, and Maggie and Steve Sill, the Market was restarted and enjoyed a highly successful season.

Page 8 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 JAIL, from 7 ing work release. The jail has both male and female guards who must be certified to be correctional officers from the Department of Criminal Justice Services. He went on to give an outline of an

average day’s schedule. On a normal day, an inmate would get up, eat breakfast around 5 a.m., then would be locked out of their cell during the day. After lunch, they could go back in, then let back out in the afternoon, then locked in for the

Suspect charged following high school ‘hoax bomb’

Caleb Sutphin, here with Airsoft BB guns, is charged with the manufacture, possession, or use of fire bombs, explosive materials or device, which states that the use of a hoax device is charged as a Class 6 felony. Facebook photo. On January 27, 2017 at approximately 12:09 p.m. a suspected explosive device was located at Warren County High School. School Administration and School Resource Deputies immediately evacuated the building and made a preliminary check of the rest of the school for other devices and no other devices were found. Deputies responded and searched the exterior of the facility and established a perimeter with the assistance of the Front Royal Police Department and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Officers. School Resource Deputies checked other area schools as well to ensure that the incident was isolated. Virginia State Police responded with Explosives Technicians who examined the device and determined it to be a non-functional hoax device. The school and parking lot were cleared utilizing

explosive detecting canines from Virginia State Police and Mount Weather Police Department. Warren County Sheriff ’s Office Investigators, School Resource Deputies, and the Fire Marshal questioned an 18 year old suspect, Caleb Sutphin, of 276 Deerhaven Road, Front Royal, VA. Sutphin has been subsequently charged with the manufacture, possession, or use of fire bombs, explosive materials or device, which states that the use of a hoax device is charged as a Class 6 felony. Investigators completed processing the scene and released the facility back to school officials at 3:23 p.m. Caleb Sutphin was transported to the RSW Regional Jail and is being held without bond. Any person with information pertaining to this incident is asked to call Lt. Gordon Foster at 540-635-4128.

shift change and out again from 7-10 p.m. In each housing unit, things they can do include staying in the Day Room, or using the outside recreation area that is equipped with basketball hoops and where they can do pushups and sit-ups. This the time when they can go to programs, see the doctor or dentist, get help with mental health needs and have video visitation. They also get limited TV stations and newspapers and can have video visitation with anyone but can only talk through the glass to an attorney. When an inmate gets his or her GED certification, they get the privilege of talking through the glass barrier to other visitors besides the attorney. In the F unit, Wilson pointed out a room set aside to be used when a program that pairs inmates with rescue dogs is implemented. There are cells for inmates and the dogs will sleep in crates. The adjacent recreation area is where dogs and their inmate trainers will work together and a trained animal specialist will teach the classes. According to a report given at the November 2016 meeting with County officials, “Deputy Superintendent Russ Gilkison has been working with the Humane Society to explore the possibility of establishing this program and the Humane Society staff is in agreement. Funding for this will be coming from donations to the Humane Society.” Some of the other stops we made were in the medical area where Ashley, an LPN, was getting ready to take around a big cart full of meds for inmates who need them. Wilson said they have access to whatever they need for health. We passed rooms with equipment for physical and dental checkups where health professionals come and evaluate inmates’ condition, a quarantine area where “negative pressure cells suck air into the room instead of letting it come out, so germs are kept in. We looked into the records room with files where information is kept on the inmates. There have been a lot of changes in the corrections system since Wilson started out, he said. “It used to be the linear-type, with cells in a long line, the old countytype jails with two-hour checks. When I first started, I was told, ‘Here are the keys. If you have any questions, talk to the officer in incoming’.” He said he had six weeks of training, but now new officers are required to take 10 weeks of academy training, and that they used to “lock up and forget” inmates, but now the emphasis is on trying to give people the opportunity to improve. At some point, many will be sent back out into the community, and the transition can be stressful or smooth. With training, the person has more chances to make their life a better one. In the Female Housing unit, Wilson noted that the number of female inmates has gone up recently, due to

Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Warren Regional Jail Superintendent William Wilson is determined to help inmates improve their lives through educational programs.

Officers Samantha Sulser, Telsa Feltner, and Correctional Training Officer Jacob Huffstickler are stationed in one of the rooms at the RSW jail. The stairs lead up to the second tier of the facility for observation.

The multipurpose room with direct supervision is where officers stay in the unit with inmates and monitor with screens 12 hours a day. more petty crimes like stealing and fraud being committed. Usually females make up five to eight percent of the population, but it’s at 15 percent right now. On the second level, there’s a section of cells used for protective custody and discipline for inmates who are having trouble with others. “On the male side, it can be used for safety from sex offenders or to protect some who have gambling

debts and don’t want to pay, from the people they owe money to,” he said. As we passed down shiny clean hallways we came to a person who likes her job. Busy Program Director Kathy Hale was in the middle of a fast-walk, pushing a cart she uses to keep track of all the duties related to the many programs available to the inmates. “We wouldn’t have the program without her,” said Wilson.

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 9 “I love what I do,” said Hale. Cheerful and friendly, Hale is responsible for taking requests from the inmates in the units to the captain to be approved, answering emails from volunteers for new classes, taking care of correspondence and training volunteers. Some of the things she tells volunteers are: what not to bring in. “It’s simple, nothing in, nothing out!” she said. giving advice on what to do in the case of a sexual assault. what not to do in relation to in-

mates, such as filling their requests to bring something in or take something out or making phone calls for them. Hale has been at the RSW facility since July of 2014 when it opened and was formerly employed at the Warren County Jail. She was at the White Post Correctional Center for 10 years, and was in charge of the greenhouses. “I’d love to have them here too,” she said. She and inmates started a garden

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behind the jail in the spring of 2015. Inmates work in the garden and eat what they raise, and really enjoy the fresh fruit and vegetables, she said. They use water from the jail’s ponds to irrigate. “They take pride in their work. Some officers know how to garden and are learning more, and some of the inmates are good farmers,” added Wilson. Another enthusiastic and friendly person we met on the tour was Katherine Hamman, who is in charge of the General Educational Develop-

ment (GED) program This provides a group of four subject tests, which when passed, provide certification that the test taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills. She greeted us at the door of a classroom where four women were focusing on computer screens. “I love the wonderful classroom here. These classes improve the person’s educational functioning level. They take a battery of tests in science, social studies, language and math. We’re always measuring how

the minds are progressing and taking small steps along the way,” she said. Wilson said they geared up the program in July of 2015 and it took a little while to get it started. Some of it is funded through grants, and some through inmates’ canteen accounts. Hamman said that all the male classes are filled and there is a sixperson waiting list. She said that the female classes are usually smaller. She theorizes that girls usually stay in school longer than boys, so there See JAIL, 10

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Page 10 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 JAIL, from 9 aren’t as many who need the degree. “It has been very successful since the beginning of the program and around 15 have completed it,” she said. Hamman has an ESL (English as a Second Language) background, a Master’s degree and has been teaching all her adult life. She has taught adult education classes and at Northern Virginia Community College. “It’s been a good program here. I’m very pleased at the way the jail has been supportive and I get good comments from inmates. We’ve also increased the testing dates,” she said. Wilson added that if a student hasn’t finished the course by the time they get out, they can go to another center and graduate and said that there are several programs in the area offered through adult education that have the same database. Lord Fairfax Community college is one of them. Journeying on, we came to the busy kitchen where male inmates were making oatmeal cookies, supervised by Food Service Manager Chuck Dondero. “There haven’t been complaints about the food since he started,” said Wilson. Tall and friendly Dondero has a background cooking in restaurants and nursing homes. He said that when he came here they were using premade patties, but now they make their own. He added that within the next few months, they’ll be working toward getting inmates serv-safe certified. This is a nationally accredited food safety certification from the National Restaurant Association which is designed to educate students about food-borne illnesses, how to prevent them and how to train others in food sanitation. “The inmates can use these skills when they go out to jobs,” said Dondero. He’s considering hosting a culinary class at some point in the future, but they’re starting on a small scale in the culinary arts program, and learning to bake for now. Wilson said, “They’ve been told they are putting their time to good use, and we take off the $2.00 a day fee they’re charged while in jail. They cook, plate and deliver the food to other inmates.” At one point, we came to an open area where my presence as “a female on the floor” was announced. This was the open dormitory where the male workforce inmates in the Work Release program live. (there is a corresponding female dormitory) Inmates in the dormitory get stripped and patted down, but don’t have to be in cells. There’s a locker room and showers. They do workforce duties at the Warren County golf course, cut grass on median strips on highways, clear on/off ramps on I-81, and renovate buildings at the 4-H Center. They also do their own laundry. Females work in the laundry and males work in the

kitchen. Trustees also live in an open dorm, and have books and a recreation area in the back. When the count is taken, they must be in bed, but they are allowed to walk around during the day. Close to the end of the tour, we got to the maximum security or G unit, where eight percent of inmates are housed due to high risk behavior connected to violent crimes and/or a history of them. “They don’t get much programming and benefits that the others get. They usually play cards or board games,” said Wilson. But these inmates can be moved to a medium security unit with good behavior. Related to this section is the punitive segregation unit, where inmates with disciplinary problems are in cells for 23 hours a day, in solitary confinement. They can get out for one hour to use the phone or take a shower, but books and their property are not available during the day. “They are there to sit and think about what they did. We don’t want them to enjoy this. Some like being alone, with no interactions, and to be away from other inmates and want to be in there, but we try not to let them dictate to us,” said Wilson. Home electronic monitoring is available to some inmates who have met certain criteria. An officer goes to their homes and checks on them. They have urine screenings to test for

drugs and alcohol, and it costs them $147 a week. A Multipurpose room was empty when we visited, but it provides inmates with direct supervision. Officers stay in the unit with the inmates, provide enforcement and monitor with screens 12 hours a day. They can get medical checks there as opposed to going to the main medical area. “It’s easier for the nurse to come here than to move the inmates across the jail,” said Wilson. He added that the benefit of direct supervision is that officers live here with them, and they can observe the officers’ behavior. “An officer can make or break an inmate and/or can show whether they care about them. The inmates are in here for making mistakes. Sometimes this is the only place they’ve ever been cared for in their lives. They often look up to the officers to model good behavior. If you show respect, you get respect,” said Wilson. We encountered a room with multi-screened monitors and cameras that had views of all areas of the jail. Officers were very focused on their work and didn’t look up to be introduced or to chat. The atmosphere in the room was intense. Wilson explained that from this room, officers can close or open all the doors in the institution, check smoke alarms, fire alarms, sprinklers, call 911 for emergencies, and

perform many other tasks. “We rotate officers in here so each can work at different positions. Everyone has a favorite job,” he said. At the end of the tour, we went back to a conference room and Wilson talked about himself and a bit of the history of the regional jail experience. “This jail is composed of three counties, and each had a different way of operating. It has taken some time to get on the same page and become more of a team. We rely on communication, training and education in learning policies and procedures. We send daily memos and make everyone read the policies and procedures. We also encourage input from the officers. If something isn’t working, we can change it. Many of the officers have been transferred from the three county jails to this one,” he said. Wilson said that it has been a rewarding career for him. “It was probably the furthest thing I thought I would do before I got into this, but I’ve enjoyed it ever since I’ve been in it. It’s not boring. There are new challenges every day. I’m lucky to have the board to work with,” he said. The RSW’s Authority Board includes the sheriffs from Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren counties, one member from each county’s board of supervisors and each county’s administrator.

Wilson also wanted me to know that, “I didn’t tell the staff you were coming. What you see is what you get. It’s a really good staff and they’ve worked hard the last few years. It’s not easy gearing up a new facility. Those who have stuck through have done a great job,” he said. At the Nov. 17, 2016 RSW Authority Board meeting, it was reported that the average daily population for September was 332 inmates per day and the locality breakdown was: Rappahannock County 18 or 5.4% Shenandoah County 128 or 38.6% Warren County 186 or 56.0% Wilson reported that in Feb 2016, they were in 100 percent in compliance with the Board of Corrections’ standards of 6VAC15-40 of the administrative code of Virginia. The BOC makes a yearly unannounced visit inspection and the facility must meet their 33-35 item list of standards concerning life, health and safety. The RSW Regional Jail is located at 6601 Winchester Rd., Front Royal, VA 22630. For information, call 540-622-6097, email information@ rswregionaljail.com or visit wwwrswregionaljail.com. An informational pamphlet in the lobby of the facility gives a comprehensive outline of rules and procedures for contacting inmates and what is required from visitors. – carol@areaguides.com

Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 11

Two experienced private investigators are available for local cases Winchester’s Pennington Elite Investigations, LLC has former law enforcement officers on the job

The office of Pennington Elite Investigations, LLC is located at 1015 Berryville Ave., Suite 101, in Winchester. By Carol Ballard Warren & Frederick County Report Rebecca Smith and Tom Canterbury are two private investigators with Winchester’s Pennington Elite Investigations, LLC, (PEI). They agreed to talk about their work and the company they work for one afternoon at Starbucks in Front Royal. Their confident and professional manner was reassuring. They began the conversation by giving a little bit of history of their organization and themselves.

Paul Pennington, owner of Pennington Elite Investigations, LLC, (PEI) opened his bail bond and private investigations business in 2014 in Clarke County after working in law enforcement Mineral, WV and then in Corrections in Maryland. Investigator Rebecca Smith moved to Winchester in 2015, and already had her P.I. registration from the State of Virginia. She had worked in law enforcement in the Outer Banks for 12 years previously, but retired for medical reasons. While there, part of her duties involved criminal

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investigations and, since she enjoyed that, she decided to apply with PEI, was hired, and has been with company for two years. “It was a natural progression to go on to be an investigator,” she said. And she said she still likes it very much, “solving the puzzles, and doing the searching.” She specializes in fire and explosives investigation and has certification for the work. That can involve working with the fire department, fire marshals and investigating fire insurance claims. She said she’d like to do more of that kind of work. Investigator Tom Canterbury, who also works for PEI, has a history of security and military duty. He was in the Marines at Quantico, and then was hired as a uniformed United States Secret Service officer to serve

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deaths, to name a few. His specialty was investigating suspicious deaths, he said. He mentioned working the case involving the Beltway sniper attacks in the Washington metropolitan area that took place over the scary three-week period in October 2002. Canterbury went on to do private security work for the Paul Mellon farms in Upperville, then last year, he called Pennington Investigations to see if they could use him as a bail bondsman, and was hired as an investigator. Both investigators are licensed in the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. He said there are some private investigators out there who say they’re licensed, but aren’t. If they’re operating like that, it’s not only illegal, and they can be shut down by the DCJS, so it’s good to check a company’s licenses and registrations before engaging them to do investigations. To be legal, they must have a Compliance license to ensure they follow regulations set by the state.

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Page 12 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 INVESTIGATE, from 11 “We have all that,” said Canterbury. The company offers at least 27 services. A few are: Background checks/investigation Child support/custody Collections/skip tracing Domestic relations/infidelity Fraud investigation Missing persons/adoption locates Surveillance services/GPS tracking Information about the services they offer can be found on their website at www.penningtoneliteinvestigations.com Sources they use in their cases include law enforcement databases where they have access to private information. They also look on social media like Facebook, and check out the Department of Motor Vehicle records. When asked for specific case stories, Tom and Becky said they couldn’t give out names or certain details, so the victims and their families are protected, but did give some examples of the kinds of cases they can investigate. One interesting service they provide is helping adopted children and their biological parents find each other. “It can be tricky if the records are sealed. We have to search the adoption records, which can be time-consuming, but we have had some successes,” said Smith. If there is a suspected cheating spouse or a child custody case, they do surveillance at night and take pictures of the person they’re hired to follow for the client. In child custody cases, for example, something they would check is to see if the parent has gone out and left children they’re supposed to be caring for home alone. They also conduct background checks for parents if they want to see who their children are being exposed to like the other parent’s new boyfriend or girlfriend. They also do traces on people who have skipped out on rent or have damaged the place they were renting and left it in a mess and the landlord has major cleanup or damage expenses to pay for. Once they were asked to locate some cattle that had been stolen, but the client didn’t get back to sign the

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contract. Presumably all went well with him and the cattle. They can find out who has stolen someone’s identity and investigate fraud cases. “The police get backed up, and then it becomes a ‘cold case’, so if it has been set aside, and we’re hired to investigate, we often turn over information we’ve found to the police so they can open it back up and make an arrest,” said Canterbury. Sometimes a client has given their attorney information that they can act on. Even though there are two sides to the story, for example in a domestic assault charge, they can look for witnesses or get more detailed information that the police may have missed. “We’re not trying to mess up the police department’s work. We’re a backup,” said Canterbury. They get paid by the client or their lawyer. The procedure is to set up a free consultation with the client to find out what they want, and to make sure they can do it, then write a contract. Any or all investigators may be at the consultations, which can take place in the office or in a neutral location. “Sometimes people don’t want their spouse to know they’re meeting with us,” said Canterbury. They will also do the consultation by telephone if the client doesn’t have transportation. “We don’t guarantee that everything will come out in their favor. We could follow a suspected cheating spouse for a month and never find

anything,” Canterbury said. They said that sometimes a person will get the idea that their spouse is cheating, but they really are going where they said they were, like out with friends or shopping. In one background check case, they found out that the new girlfriend of a father had been into drugs and had been a “pole dancer”, but the father had told the kids’ mother that she was a bank clerk. So, they turn the information over to the client who gives it to their attorney to take to court. “But we’re not out to ruin lives, we’re there to get the information that will go to court,” Canterbury explained. They use videotapes and photos as evidence, but are not allowed to eavesdrop on conversations or invade the privacy of someone’s home with recording devices. A lot of their work comes from Northern Virginia cities, and they’ve gone as far south as Radford, but their office is in Winchester, so they’re available to take local cases. They said sometimes they get odd requests, like the one from a woman who was convinced she was being followed by Federal government agents, but they didn’t find any proof of it. They are sometimes requested by families of victims to investigate a cold case involving a relative. “Families always want closure, but they don’t always get it, so it takes an independent person to find out what happened. The police don’t always

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 13

Front Royal Town Council gets update from EDA By Timothy Ratigan Warren & Frederick County Report

Mayor Hollis Tharpe gaveled to order the second town council meeting of the year on January 23, with five council members present and the sixth one still not selected or sworn in. First on the agenda was a report from Jennifer McDonald, director of the Warren County Economic Development Authority. She reported on the issues of re-

zoning at 6986 Winchester Road, a Wal-Mart canopy addition and that the EDA has been given the green light to put in trails on the Avtex site along the conservancy side of the property. “We have met with Doug Stanley, the County Administrator to discuss how to move forward on those trails. Hopefully in a year or so we will have a plan to come back to council to let council know what we plan on doing with those trails,” she said. McDonald updated information

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on the progress of the IT Federal site. “Lochart Construction has started to haul dirt to the IT Federal site,” she reported and apologized for the mud and dirt on Kendrick Lane, but said that the issue has been solved. She went on to report on the following town projects. These concerned: a letter of intent on the Afton Inn. continuing work on the Workforce Housing project. The EDA is currently meeting with potential developers for the construction of the project. working on a hotel site identification. meeting with an investor looking to purchase property on Main Street regarding financing and business structure. working with a private school to find an alternative site in Front Royal. working with Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen about their expansion in Happy Creek Tech Park. working with one fast food company, one gas station, and one law office to find a suitable space in Front Royal. working with a developer on the

former B&G store. reporting on the continuing work on the Leach Run Parkway. The current anticipated completion date is June 24th 2017. The EDA staff completed the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) form 1023 and submitted it with fees to the IRS in Kentucky to reinstate the nonprofit status for the Shenandoah Center for Heritage and the Environment. McDonald also reported on County business activity. This included updating the council on the progress on McKay Springs. The EDA has received three inquiries in the month of December for the McKay Springs property, and is also working with a restaurant interested in property in the U.S. 340-522 corridor. The EDA and the county continue to work with a distribution center referred by the Partnership in Stephens Industrial Park. The company plans to create 75 new jobs with a $22 million investment and is in the initial site selection process. They are also discussing a potential purchase of property on Strasburg Road with Dulles Industries and have a

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prospective site located off of 522N. The Company distributes aquatic supplies and plans to create 40 new jobs with an investment of $12 million. The EDA continues to work with Sheriff McEathron and Mosely Architects on the construction of the Skyline Regional Criminal Justice Academy and indoor firing range. The start date of the training academy has been pushed back due to DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) and Town subdivision requirements. The Mayor made a special request of the town’s citizens during his report. “It saddens me that we have had another pedestrian fatality in the town. I would ask that people who are walking, biking, driving, to use extreme caution when moving around our town. The town has taken great pride in providing several cross walk signals. Please use them,” he said. In other business, the council included a second reading on an ordinance to amend the town code to add individual member remote participation by electronic means. This measure was first introduced to the council by former councilman Bret Hrbek. This method of communicating would be used in an emergency and would be limited to twice a year by a council member. “This is something that we have been working on since last year. This provision will allow town council members on an emergency basis up to two times a year, to attend a council meeting if they are unable to attend in person and to attend the meeting by electronic means,” said Councilman John Connolly. The ordinance amendment passed on a 5-0 vote. Next on the agenda was the appointment of a town resident to fill the remaining two years of the former Councilman Hollis Tharpe’s term on the Council. He was elected as Front Royal’s mayor in the 2016 November elections, and his seat has been vacant since then. Connolly nominated Planning Commission member Chris Morrison who was elected by a 4-1 vote with Councilman Eugene Tewalt voting against the appointment after hearing objections against Morrison in favor of former council candidate Mike McCool who came in fourth place behind Jacob Meza. With no further business to come before the council the mayor adjourned the meeting and all adjourned into a closed session. – tim@areaguides.com

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Page 14 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017

Supervisors study Blue Ridge Shadows Subdivision issues

Developer asks for rezoning and bridge maintenance

This is the only entrance and exit into and out of the Blue Ridge Shadows subdivision. By Timothy Ratigan Warren & Frederick County Report Over 15 years ago, Blue Ridge Shadows, an upscale Town Home community with views and access to a golf club that shares property with Holiday Inn, came to Front Royal and Warren County. When the subdivision was built, hopeful plans included two entrances and exits. More than 15 years have passed and the upscale subdivision with town homes starting at over $150 thousand each still has only one way to enter and exit, and no emergency access. On January 17, the Warren County Board of Supervisors met and on their agenda was a request from the subdivision’s developer D.R. Horton, for a subdivision variance to allow it to be accessed by one entrance/exit. The Board of Supervisors discussed the issue two years ago, on January 20th 2015, but the application was tabled by the applicant until further notice. Interestingly enough, the planning commission had forwarded this request to the Board in

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2014 recommending approval with conditions. Now, three years later, some of those conditions are null and void. To get a better understanding of the situation we must go back to the public hearing that took place minutes prior to this agenda item being discussed. The board received a request for a public hearing on its first reading from the planning commission and D.R. Horton to rezone the subdivision in question from Suburban Residential to Suburban Residential. (It looks weird, but except for a few more details, it will still be Suburban Residential when rezoned.) The planning commission approved the request on a 5-0 vote, and forwarded it onto the board of supervisors. In the motion to approve, the Commission recommended that the county staff work with the adjoining property owners to obtain an emergency access into the subdivision for emergency vehicles in the

event they are needed. At least one property owner was contacted and that property owner is on record as not having an interest in entering any formal agreement. At least one other property owner has come forward and has already informed the Board of Supervisors that he has no intention of allowing an emergency access through or on his property should the county or the developer contact him. As it stands, Blue Ridge Shadows subdivision still only has one entrance/exit and no emergency access road for emergency vehicles. Just before the public hearing, the board, members of the press and audience, were treated to a lengthy presentation by D.R. Horton’s legal counsel John Foote with Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley &Walsh, P.C., in Prince William County, explaining why it was a good idea to pass this variance. “We are here for two things this evening. The first is, of course, the rezoning of what we call commu-

nity Two, and the other is a subdivision variance request. I am going to blend comments of the two together because they directly relate to each other,” Foote said. Foote informed the board that the project had started in 2002 with D.R. Horton and it is now 2017. “Unlike so many builders and so many projects that have seen the way of the wind over the course of all of those years, D.R. Horton is still in this project. It’s never left or abandoned it or quit. It continues to build,” he continued. One of the primary reasons for the rezoning request is because 75 units of Community Two are slated to be designated as Age Restricted Housing, intended for those 55 years and older. Age restricted communities are permitted under Federal law as an exception to the Fair Housing Act which states it is lawful to set aside a certain number of units for people 55 years and older. And 80 percent of the homes have to be set aside as age

restricted housing in order to qualify for age restriction exception. Foote informed the board that D. R. Horton has gone beyond that and has proffered 100 percent of the proposed units as age restricted housing. Foote also made it a point that this housing development is protected under what is called the Trophy Wife law. This means that if the wife or husband were to die leaving a younger spouse, he or she would not be able to sell the house to a person younger than the required minimal age of 55 years. Why is D.R. Horton doing this now? According to Foote, “The first and foremost reason is that the proffers as they presently exist preclude the issuance of any building permits after the 150th unit, unless the Toray Connection is made. We do not control that and haven’t controlled that for years. Since the breakup with the recession it is in other hands. There was massive litigation in which Mr.

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The race to get VDOT to accept the bridge leading into the subdivision is still on! Blue Ridge Shadows started with one entrance and exit and over 15 years later it still has only one. The developer wants to begin Community Two with only one entrance/exit. Stanley, (Warren County’s Administrator) testified for that litigation and it fell into multiple hands. Horton retained control of what it had, but it doesn’t control that.” The Toray Connection is and was planned as the proposed site for the secondary entrance/exit into the subdivision. According to the attorney, D.R. Horton paid $600 thousand “back in the day” towards the construction of the road to the Holiday Inn. However, all records of the funds being paid have since been lost and the road was never completed. Even with bound money received by the

County, the road to the Toray Connection was not completed and remains so to this day. Foote reminded the board that from the date of planning in 2002 to the present there has never been a plan for two points of entrance/exits for the Blue Ridge Shadows Subdivision. “It has always been planned for every home built to have its residents come and go out at the bridge entrance to the subdivision,” he said, and continued on asking questions and answering them. “Does it have an emergency access to get in and out? The answer is, no,

it does not; does not have, and will not have,” he said. He also reported that even if the Toray Connection had been made, it would not have created a second route in and out of the subdivision. The route would still have to end up crossing the bridge and funnel down to one entrance/exit into the subdivision’s housing area. He reiterated that Horton cannot build more than 150 units until the Toray Connection is made, and since they can’t make it, the number of units is stalled at 150 units. The next area of concern with the ordinance change was the status of the bridge leading into the subdivision. Ines Vega an engineer with D.R. Horton, has been working with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in regards to several issues, in particular the bridge leading into the subdivision that everyone must cross over to access it. It appears that Horton’s goal is to get VDOT to accept the bridge and take over its maintenance and care. “We’ve reached an agreement with them on certain steps we can take and they would accept the bridge. We reached that agreement back in September of 2016, and we have been working diligently on all those elements to get it completed. We have requested an inspection with VDOT through a consultant we hired and he has been assisting us. We have com-

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pleted a punch list from VDOT and hope to have an inspection soon,” said Vega. She reported that Hospitality Drive to the bridge has not been accepted by VDOT yet. “The reason for VDOT not accepting the bridge as of yet is because of no turnaround is available yet and VDOT will need one prior to accepting it into their system,” she added. After the public hearing, the board discussed the ordinance change. Happy Creek Supervisor Tony Carter voiced his concerns about the lack of an emergency access to the subdivision. Fork Supervisor Archie Fox asked about a report he read concerning the safety of one side of the bridge. Vega replied that VDOT had concerns in the past few years that the bridge was moving. She said that engineers familiar with VDOT standards and working with VDOT had spent about a year of testing and found that the bridge is not moving.

It was Shenandoah Supervisor Thomas Sayre who asked one of the big money questions, saying, “If this bridge as it currently is now, if it fails who is responsible to fix it?” Vega replied, “Currently, it would be D.R. Horton. The goal is to have it in VDOT’s system.” Sayre responded, “So if this is approved and VDOT takes it over and it fails, then the Commonwealth of Virginia will come in and fix the bridge?” When the vote was taken, it passed by a 5-0 vote with supervisors voting in favor of the first reading of the ordinance change. So as it stands right now, nothing has really changed accept that D.R. Horton will be allowed to continue with Community Two as long the ordinance change passes the second and final reading and vote. Blue Ridge Shadows will still have only one entrance/exit and no emergency access roads in and out of the subdivision for the foreseeable future. – tim@areaguides.com

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Page 16 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017

Town appoints Chris Morrison to fill empty council seat Tewalt expressed opposition, favoring Mike McCool, who had high number of votes in recent election

Councilman John Connolly voices his support for Chris Morrison’s appointment at the January 23 council meeting. By Timothy Ratigan Warren & Frederick County Report On January 23, four members of the Front Royal Town Council voted to appoint Chris Morrison to fill the council seat Mayor Tharpe vacated, but Vice Mayor Eugene Tewalt was opposed to the appointment. “I’ve brought a newspaper here today. You can see that Mr. McCool got almost as many votes as the third person that won and that was Mr. Meza. To me this is a slap in the face

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to our 2,200 voters who voted for Mr. McCool. I was kind of appalled by our council not selecting the next person in line for the seat. Mr. McCool is more qualified for this position,” he said. Tewalt continued, “And it is a just a shame that like the national election, we just had people who cannot accept the fact that Mr. Trump was elected president, so they take it out on someone else. I really do believe that this is going against the public. I think that to these people who voted

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Vice Mayor Eugene Tewalt expresses his displeasure at the council’s decision not to appoint Mike McCool to the open seat. for Mr. McCool, this is a slap in the face to them. And I hope that shows up at the next election when it comes due and these people who voted for Mr. Morrison don’t get voted back in. “Going back to Mr. Morrison, I think he is well qualified as well. Mr. McCool was on the planning commission for about eight years, is a big advocate for all the downtown projects and we see fit not to inform him, not to seat him in the seat that he has ran for. The people almost elected him and we take it for granted that folks just don’t care. I think it is a slap in the face for this council not to vote for Mike McCool because he was the fourth highest vote getter and I am very upset over this so I cannot vote for Mr. Morrison.” When Tharpe was elected mayor of Front Royal, he had two years left on his term as councilman. Councilman John Connolly made the motion to appoint Morrison to the council and Councilman William Sealock seconded the motion. Councilman Connolly said, “I would like to start off by saying that

we had a total of nine applicants for the appointment this time around…. We had twelve a couple of years ago, when we had an appointment situation. It was a very impressive crop and everybody who applied did a great job and it was a difficult decision. Connolly went into Morrison’s background. “Mr. Morrison is coming to us off of the planning commission and is very familiar with town projects. I am looking forward to working with him.” When objections were heard from Tewalt, Connolly jumped back into the discussion, saying, “Mr. Mayor, very briefly. It is really a question of procedural approach to the appointment process. I really feel that if we had pursued a special election for this position this discussion would be very different. I can’t take it upon myself to interpret why a particular candidate didn’t win in the general election. All I am looking at when I approach this question that is before this body tonight, is everybody who

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suspect several times. The suspect was admitted to Winchester Medical Center for his injuries. Kahlil Alexander Kirton, 33, of Winchester, is charged with armed robbery, abduction, use of firearm in the commission of a felony, and wearing a mask in public. This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to call the Winchester Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at (540) 545-4704, or Crime Solvers at (540) 665 TIPS (8477). Two Suspects Arrested for Robbery

Kahlil Kirton (file photo) Victim shoots armed robber On January 25, 2017 at approximately 11:39 p.m., officers with the Winchester Police Department responded to the 7-Eleven, located at 1851 S. Pleasant Valley Road, for reports of a robbery and shots fired. Upon investigation, it was determined that a male wearing a mask entered the business, displayed a weapon, and demanded money. The male forced the female outside at gunpoint at which time the female was able to retrieve her personal weapon to defend herself. The female fired the weapon, striking the

On January 20, 2017 at approximately 6:12 p.m., officers with the Winchester Police Department responded to 823 N. Loudoun St. for reports of a robbery in progress. Investigators determined a white man wearing a black mask entered the Northside Mart, displayed a handgun, and demanded money from the cash register. Witnesses told police that the suspect drove off in a green colored pick-up truck. No one inside the business was injured. A short time later, deputies with the Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office spotted a vehicle on Rt. 50 East

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matching the description of the suspect and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit began which traveled north on Interstate 81 into West Virginia, then returned south, and ultimately ended at the West Virginia/Virginia state line, where two men were taken into custody. James Allen Armel, 53, and Justin Lee Armel, 29, are charged with robbery and use of a firearm while committing a felony. Both are being held at Eastern Regional Jail in West Virginia. Both men also have outstanding warrants from the Winchester Police Department for felony petty larceny charges. Anyone with additional information in this case is asked to call the Winchester Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at (540) 545-4704 or Crime Solvers at (540) 665‑TIPS (8477). Winchester Police Assist with School Lock Out

On February 1, 2017, the Winchester Police Department assisted Winchester Public Schools with a Lock Out in the district due to information received via social media. John Handley High School was placed in a Lock Out at 11:05 a.m. as a precautionary safety measure. The Lock Out was lifted at 12:40 p.m. At no time was any student or staff member in danger. School leaders received information through social media that was of concern, and therefore initiated Lock Out procedures. Officers with the Winchester Police Department assisted with securing the building and ensuring no one entered or exited the building, per protocol. All other schools in the district were also put under Lock Out for a short time as a precaution. The situation was resolved quickly due to established protocols and existing partnerships between the Winchester Police Department and Winchester Public Schools.

Police Warn Community of Answering “Yes” to Unsolicited Phone Calls

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Page 18 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 FREDERICK, from 17 have called them first. Magic Lantern Theater Film Event: “Marguerite”: February 5 & 19 2017 The Magic Lantern Theater will screen in February the French film, “Marguerite.” Released a year before Meryl Streep’s “Francis Foster Jenkins,” this film also takes inspiration from the real-life story of a society matron devoted to singing opera – despite her decidedly tin ear. “A shining star” (St. Louis PostDispatch). In French w/English s/t. Rated R; 129 minutes. The first screening will be at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, 901 Amherst St., Winchester at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, February 5; the second screening will be at 4 p.m., Sunday, February 19 at the Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers St., Berryville. Doors open 30 minutes beforehand at both sites with refreshments available. Admission: $8.00 (MLT/MSV/Barns Members: $5.00). For further info, link to www.magiclanterntheater.org, e-mail info@ magiclanterntheater.org or call 540678-0963. Winchester Metals to Invest $140,000 to Upgrade Technology and Retrain Employees

Package metals industry partner will retrain 29 employees to use robotic welding system Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Winchester Metals, a complete package metals industry partner, has invested $140,000 in new equipment at its manufacturing operation in Frederick County. Through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), 29 existing employees will be retrained to operate the new machinery. The Lincoln Automate 35HS Robotic Welding System can be programmed to perform repetitive welding operations automatically, increasing efficiency in production and freeing the company’s experienced fabricators to perform more complex work. “The success of our small businesses and the growth of the manufacturing industry are both at the heart

of diversifying and building the new Virginia economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Advanced manufacturing is booming, and a growing sector demands new technology—which is why the ability to retrain employees is critical. When companies like Winchester Metals reinvest in the Commonwealth, the Virginia Jobs Investment Program helps provide the necessary training so that hardworking Virginians can continue to work and learn new skills. We are confident that having the capacity to adapt to changing technology will help ensure the company’s future success in Frederick County and the Commonwealth.” “Small businesses like Winchester Metals are valuable employers for the Commonwealth and we are pleased that this company will benefit from Virginia’s jobs training program that ensures a skilled, marketable workforce,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Fabricated metal products manufacturing is the top sector for manufacturing firms in Virginia, with more than 700 companies on the roster. In an industry that is ever-changing and modernizing, worker retraining is an important tool – and key component of Virginia’s overall economic devel-

opment platform – to keep jobs in the Commonwealth and secure Winchester Metals’ future longevity in Frederick County.” Founded in 1975, Winchester Metals is a steel distribution, processing and fabrication facility servicing Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The family-owned and operated company offers comprehensive processing, distribution and fabrication solutions to a variety of industrial, commercial, contracting and residential customers. “We are committed to continuing to grow our business in Virginia and having a partner like the VEDP and its programs available for support makes it even more possible,” said Josh Phelps, President of Winchester Metals. “VJIP allows us to offset some of the costs associated with training our great employees to accommodate capital investments like this machine into our operations. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program.” The Virginia Economic Development Partnership will support Winchester Metal’s jobs retraining through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP). VJIP provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs or ex-

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periencing technological change to support employee training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for its citizens. “Winchester Metals has been a staple of Frederick County’s metal fabrication industry for more than three generations,” commented Charles S. DeHaven, Chairman of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors. “This company exemplifies the grit and determination needed to succeed, having evolved its business over the years to incorporate new technologies and new ideas, while remaining steadfast in its commitment to building long-lasting relationships. The County is proud to have a company of Winchester Metals’ caliber operating in our community, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue to build their legacy here.” “Staying on the cutting edge of

technology is essential for Virginia’s companies competing in the global marketplace,” added Senator Jill Vogel. “This announcement by Winchester Metals demonstrates we can keep manufacturing jobs in Virginia with the right private investments alongside public policies. As technology advances, we must pay increasing attention to ensuring that small businesses like Winchester Metals are able to invest in cutting-edge equipment and access the skilled workforce critical to any advanced manufacturing enterprise. With this investment, we are confident a forward-looking company will keep dozens of Frederick County families well-employed for many years to come.” “It is very exciting to see this great company expanding their Winchester facility,” said Delegate David LaRock. “I trust this investment will help keep Winchester Metals competitive while adding jobs and new business to our thriving local economy.”

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Warren County Report

Another pedestrian fatality in Front Royal

On January 23, 2017 at approximately 6:15pm, a 911 call was received to report a pedestrian struck in the 1500 block of N Shenandoah Avenue. Upon officer’s arrival they observed a white female lying on the ground after being struck by a northbound vehicle. The victim, identified as 54-year-old Annette Suggate, was transported to Warren Memorial

Hospital and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Michael Fletcher, a 49-yearold resident of Front Royal. Fletcher had made a left turn off of W 14th Street and was traveling north and was approaching the area of the Relax Inn when he struck Suggate. The pedestrian was not utilizing a crosswalk and weather conditions at the time of the accident played significant roles in this incident.

Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 19 No charges have been placed at this time. This case is still under investigation and if anyone has further information, please contact MPO Steve Mauck or Officer Bryan House at 540-635-2111. Self-inflicted gunshot wound leads to charges On January 27, 2017 at approximately 2:30pm, the Front Royal Police responded to the 500 block of W 14th Street for a male that was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the upper left thigh and left hand. The injured party was identified as Jason Rahn, a 41-year-old resident of Frederick County. Rahn advised police that he was handling his .45 caliber handgun when the gun accidentally discharged. Officers commend the actions of a passerby identified as Shane Smith, 24-year-old Linden resident, with his swift actions of applying an im-

provised tourniquet to Rahn’s leg. Rahn was transported immediately to Winchester Medical Center where he is currently in stable condition. Jason Rahn was charged with two Class 1 misdemeanors, reckless handling of a firearm and possession of marijuana. His scheduled court date is February 28, 2017. Upcoming Bridge Construction Delays

the construction area. Beams will be delivered earlier in the day and will be staged on the side of the road along Rt. 522/340. Message board signs will be lit to alert motorists of this brief traffic delay. Due to circumstances beyond the Town’s and Wagman Construction’s control, delivery of beams and delays

The Town of Front Royal has been notified by Wagman Construction of the following bridge construction delays scheduled for Monday, February 6, 2017 (weather permitting) From 9:00am – 3:00pm a portion of Winchester Road and Duck Street will be blocked southbound. An officer will be assisting with traffic control as needed. Beginning at 7:00pm officers will escort trucks across the bridge into

See WARREN, 20

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Nature Photography 101+ The Friends of Andy Guest / Shenandoah River State Park are pleased to present a photography workshop hosted by local photographer Sharon Fisher. Sharon will talk about basic nature photography principles and about digital cameras. Bring your camera if you have one (it doesn’t have to be a fancy SLR), but a camera is not necessary. If you are in the market for a new one, Sharon can give you some good tips. Sharon will share some of her work from both near and far. We will also talk about how nature photography supports environmental awareness. Get in the picture, Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30PM at Samuels Public Library, 330 E Criser Rd., Front Royal. View some of Sharon’s fantastic work at sharongfisher.zenfolio.com Sponsored by the Friends of Andy Guest / Shenandoah River State Park: riverparkfriends.org

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Page 20 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 WARREN, from 19

2017 Fireman’s Banquet Awards

of traffic could be rescheduled to another day and time. The Town will make every effort to notify the public of these changes as they occur.

The Front Royal Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department, Inc. annual banquet on Saturday, January 20th, 2017. Members of the Fire Department,

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Must be a first time homebuyer Attend a free homebuyer education class Be able to invest a minimum of $500.00 into the purchase for households under 50% of the area median income or a minimum of 1% of the purchase price into the purchase for households between 50-80% of the area median income Have a credit that reflects the ability to pay back on a loan.

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 21 surrounding Departments, area government dignitaries and supporters enjoyed a dinner and award ceremonies at this 125th anniversary celebration. Numerous certificates of accomplishment were presented to the members for their their work on behalf of the department. Special plaques were presented to Bradly Kresge age 10, son of Brad and Carol Kresge and Caroline Feldhauser, age 10, daughter of Bryan and Suzy Feldhauser for their hard work in support of out fundraising efforts on behalf of the Fire Department in 2017. The Best supporting member for 2017: Junior Kisner

The Lynn E. Maricle Engineer for 2017: Clint Wines The James Donahoe EMS person of 2017: Nick Bailey The C. Warren Turner Firefighter of 2017: Tyler Poe The Chief ’s Special award for 2017: Ben Jost The Presidents Award for 2017: Teri Smith The Career Firefighter for 2017: Jeff Grey BBB Warning: If Caller Asks “Can You Hear Me?,” Just Hang Up The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about an old

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scam with a new twist. The “Can You Hear Me?” scam has long been used to coerce businesses into purchasing office supplies and directory ads they never actually ordered, but now it’s targeting individual consumers, as well. To hear the recording click here. For the last few days of January, more than half of the reports to BBB Scam Tracker have been about this one scam. Consumers say the calls are about vacation packages, cruises, warranties, and other big ticket items. So far, none have reported money loss, but it’s unclear how the scams will play out over time, or if the targets will be victimized at a later date. Here’s how it works: You get a call from someone who almost immediately asks “Can you hear me?” Their goal is to get you to answer “Yes,” which most people would do instinctively in that situation. There may be some fumbling around; the person may even say something like “I’m having trouble with my headset.” But in fact, the “person” may just be a robocall recording your conversation… and that “Yes” answer you gave can later be edited to make it sound like you authorized a major purchase. BBB is offering consumers the following advice: Use Caller ID to screen calls, and consider not even answering unfamiliar numbers. If it’s important, they will leave a message and you can call back. If someone calls and asks “Can you hear me?”, do NOT answer “yes.” Just hang up. Scammers change their tactics as the public catches on, so be alert for other questions designed to solicit a simple “yes” answer. See WARREN, 22

Engle’s Angle: “Same ol’ same ol’” on since 2010. Then there’s The Odd I saw a preview the other Couple, which was originight for a new TV show, nally a movie in 1968 and then a TV show in the 70s. Chicago Justice. CBS has a new version out Really? Doesn’t NBC already now. have Chicago Fire? And MacGyver too. ABC Chicago Med? And Chi- aired the original from cago P.D.? 1985-92. It was my favor I’m seeing a pattern here. ite. That guy could do any Why not Chicago CPA? thing. The new series on CBS tells his story leading Or Chicago Trash? They also have, or had up to the original version. at one time, Law & Order, I won’t watch it. Can’t Law & Order: Special Vic- they just leave well enough tims Units, Law & Order: alone? Of course not. LA, and even Law & Or- And from the Bravo netder: UK. work, let’s not leave out All the networks do it. The Real Housewives of With ABC, it’s The Bach- Beverly Hills, and Atlanta, elor and The Bachelorette. Orange County, New York CBS is probably the City and New Jersey. worst with CSI, CSI: Mi- Give me a break. ami, CSI: NY and CSI: How about a little bit of Cyber. Criminal Minds, originality instead of the Criminal Minds: Beyond same ol’ same ol’? Borders and Criminal And why do so many Minds: Suspect Behav- shows have to be about ior. NCIS, NCIS: LA and policemen, firefighters or NCIS: New Orleans. And doctors? Sure, those folks then there’s The Late Show do great things, in real life, and of course The Late but come on. Late Show. Both are on too And do they all have to late for me. be in NY, LA or Chicago? There was Star Trek: Voy- Why not Des Moines? Or ager, Star Trek: The Next Paducah? Can’t exciting Generation, Star Trek: things happen there too? Deep Space Nine, Star My wife says I pay too Trek: Enterprise and Star much attention to this stuff. Trek: Discovery which is Maybe. coming out this year. But if I didn’t, what else Back in the 1960s and am I gonna focus on? 70s, CBS aired Hawaii That new drama/realFive-0. I remember watch- ity show playing out every ing it with my mother. She day in the White House? liked it a lot. If she were Now there’s one I wish alive today, I wonder if the networks could cancel. she’d tune in to the remake, – kevinengle456@comcast.net By Kevin S. Engle

Page 22 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 WARREN, from 21 Make a note of the number and report it to bbb.org/scamtracker to help warn others. BBB also shares Scam Tracker information with government and law enforcement agencies, so every piece of information is helpful in tracking down scammers. Consider joining the Do Not Call Registry (DoNotCall.gov) to cut down on telemarketing and sales calls. This may not help with scammers since they don’t bother to pay attention to the law, but you’ll get fewer calls overall. That may help you more quickly notice the ones that could be fraudulent. Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges. It’s also a good idea to check your telephone and cell phone bills, as well. Scammers may be using the “Yes” recording of your voice to authorize charges on your phone. This is called “cramming” and it’s illegal. EDA Announces SYNERGY Home Care Sets Up Office in Front Royal The Economic Delopment Authority and the Chamber of Commerce announced today the arrival of SYNERGY HomeCare to the Front Royal business community. Since 1999, SYNERGY HomeCare offers personalized and comprehensive home care plans that give people the ability to maintain their quality of life and independence. SYNERGY HomeCare provides a variety of nonmedical, in-home services that allow people of any age to maintain their independence and remain in familiar surroundings. They offer services to help meet the needs of the elderly or disabled, accident victims, new parents, and people recovering from illness, sports injuries or surgeries. The professional staff at SYNERGY prides themselves on treating each client and caregiver with dignity and respect, and on providing a caring team that delivers reliability, customized quality services and friendly helping hands. “We are pleased to welcome SYNERGY Home Care to our community,” said Jennifer R. McDonald, executive director of the EDA. “They provide services that are greatly needed and we will assist them in every way possible to secure their place in our small business community.” SYNERGY HomeCare has opened an independent family-owned branch to serve residents of NorthWest Virginia top of Virginia (from Winchester / Frederick County, to Front Royal /Warren County, New Market and Woodstock / Shenandoah County, Luray / Page County, Rappahannock and Clarke County and points between). The office of SYNERGY HomeCare of NorthWest Virginia is located at 1105 N. Royal Ave. in Front Royal. They can be reached at 540-636-0038 or www. synergyhomecare.com “We are so happy to be here,” said Carol Miller, President of SYNERGY. “We are fully licensed and ready to

roll-out our services to the Northern Shenandoah Valley Region.” Planning Commission Citizen Appointment

The Front Royal Town Council is accepting resumes or applications from citizens who are interested in serving on the Front Royal Planning Commission. 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 Commission 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 send a resume with a cover letter to Clerk of Council Jennifer Berry at jberr@ frontroyalva.com or mail to Mayor & Town Council, P.O. Box 1560, Front Royal, VA 22630. Application forms are available at the Town Hall located at 102 E Main

Street or http://www.frontroyalva. com/files/BoardCommissionApplication_fillable.pdf

tact Sue at 540-635-4734 Ext. 227 or e-mail coc@humanesocietywarrencounty.org

New Volunteer Orientation

Yard Waste Collection The Town of Front Royal’s Wednesday Yard Waste and Leaf Collection ended for the season on January 25, 2017. Collection will resume on March 29, 2017. If you must dispose of yard waste during this time the Manassas Avenue Drop-Off Site is open from 9:00a – 5:00pm, closed on Wednesday and Sunday. You must have a valid Town of Front Royal or County of Warren vehicle decal to dispose of yard waste. More information may be obtained by calling the Department of Environmental Services at (540)635-7819 Monday – Friday, 7:00am – 3:30pm.

Calling all animal lovers! The Humane Society of Warren County is seeking dedicated volunteers ages 16 and up to help with the many wonderful pets available for adoption. We need help socializing our kitties here at the shelter and are looking for volunteers to help with our cat kennels at Petco in Front Royal. We need volunteers to walk dogs, spend time with them in the playroom and even teach some basic commands. The Humane Society of Warren County will be having a New Volunteer Orientation on Tuesday, February 7th at 5:30 pm. If you are interested in volunteering, please come to our New Volunteer Orientation. If you are under the age of 18 an adult must accompany you to the orientation. For more information please con-

Drainage Work The Town’s Streets Department will be performing drainage work along Happy Creek Road from Shenandoah Shores Road to Town limits January 30 – February 10, 2017 from 8:00am – 3:00pn (weather permitting). Motorists area asked to be aware of flaggers. Department of Environmental Services (540)635-7819 Goodlatte Staff to Hold Open Door Meetings

A member of Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s staff will hold open door community office hours every Wednesday in Front Royal. A staff

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 23 member will be available to meet with individuals in Warren County to discuss any problems they might have with the federal government and hear their views on current issues before Congress. Warren County Open Door Meeting 10:00am – 12:00pm Samuels Public Library 330 E. Criser Road Front Royal, Virginia Upcoming Dates (Every Wednesday): February 8, 2017 February 15, 2017 February 22, 2017 Peter Van Buskirk of “The Admission Game” to Speak at R-MA Local High School Students and Parents Invited to Attend Interested in learning about the “game” of college applications and

admissions? Join Randolph-Macon Academy in Boggs Chapel on Friday, February 10, 2017 at 1:30 pm for “The Admission Game®” presented by Peter Van Buskirk, a nationally recognized author, speaker, and former Dean of Admission at Franklin & Marshall College. In this two-hour session, Van Buskirk reveals what happens behind the scenes in the college admission process, providing attendees with a better understanding of what “Hidden Agenda” items can make or break an application. He also touches on the role of course selections, essay preparation, and standardized tests. Finally, the audience is presented with four fictitious candidates and they debate which one of them will get into the fictitious college. This free presentation is open to all area high school students and their parents. For more information, contact R-MA College Counselor Mary Gamache at mgamache@rma.edu

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Humane Society of Warren County Joins Best Friends Animal Society National February Pet Adoption Promotion The Humane Society of Warren County is joining national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society, along with animal rescue groups and shelters across the country, in the “Give Love” annual animal adoption campaign starting Feb. 1 and running through Feb. 14, 2017. For an adoption fee of $14 you can add some love to your life by bringing home a furry friend your whole family will love. Every adoption includes a free Westminster Dog Show Raffle ticket for chance to win $500! Youth Services Department of Samuels Public Library February events www.samuelslibrary.net or (540) 635-3153 Wednesday, February 1 - The annual Winter Reading Club at Samuels Public Library will take place from February 1 – March 2, 2017. Children of all ages are invited to surround their bedtime with the comfort and magic of books. Participants

will receive prizes for reading or listening to books each week. When the World is Ready for Bed by Gillian Shields, illustrated by Anna Currey, is the picture book from which the Winter Reading Club will take its theme and artwork. For more information please call (540) 635-3153 or visit the library’s website at www. samuelslibrary.net. 10:15 Toddler Story time. Will he see his shadow? Let’s have stories and a craft about the legend of the groundhog! Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. Will he see his shadow? Let’s have stories and a craft about the legend of the groundhog! Siblings welcome. Thursday, February 2 - 10:15 Toddler Story time. Will he see his shadow? Let’s have stories and a craft about the legend of the groundhog! Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. Will he see his shadow? Let’s have stories and a craft about the legend of the groundhog! Siblings welcome. Saturday, February 4 - 10:10 Books and Barks. Come to our extremely popular monthly program that gives developing readers the chance to read and relax with a trained therapy dog. For beginning readers and up.

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540-635-1288 Dear Stewart: With the weather being warmer this winter, I’m starting to think about planting more trees. When is the best time to plant trees? – Anxious Dear Anxious,

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growth of your tree. Generally, the Fall is the best season for planting. The soil temperature starts to get cooler and the winter snows provide the necessary water to the growing roots in preparation for next summer’s hot temperatures. The upper part of the tree goes into a dormant state in late Fall and Winter, allowing the tree to concentrate its energy on the root system. The well-developed root system will then provide the tree with a healthy and beautiful crop of leaves for the growing season. One exception to the Fall planting guideline, however, is the bare root

tree. These should be planted in early Spring so that the roots will stabilize before the hot Summer. In closing, I’ll quote an old Chinese proverb: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best is now” Now is the time to do some research so you can decide on the right tree for the location you have in mind. This is one of the most important aspects of tree planting. So, pick out the perfect tree, learn the correct way to plant a tree and go for it!! Good luck!

- Stewart

Registration begins January 7. Tuesday, February 7 - 11:00 Time for Baby. What do books, scarves, puppets, music and babies have in common? They are all part of Time for Baby. Join us as we use all of our senses to explore the world around us. Our theme will be “You Are My Valentine.” Siblings welcome. 4:30 The Maker Club. The Maker Club is designed for school-aged children who want to make something creative and explore a new topic each week through books and activities. It meets after school each Tuesday at 4:30 P.M. On Tuesday, February 7th we will learn all about polar bears. Wednesday, February 8 – 10:15 Toddler Story time. We will get ready for Valentine’s Day with our stories, poems, and craft. Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. We will get ready for Valentine’s Day with our stories, poems, and craft. Siblings welcome. Thursday, February 9 - 10:15 Toddler Story time. We will get ready for Valentine’s Day with our stories, poems, and craft. Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. We will get ready for Valentine’s Day with our stories, poems, and craft. Siblings welcome. Saturday, February 11 – 2:00 Chapter Chat. NEW! Chapter Chat. Do you enjoy learning about new books and sharing your favorite classics? If so, join us for Chapter Chat and share your favorite books and stories! For ages 7-11. Registration begins January 18. Tuesday, February 14 – 4:30 The Maker Club. The Maker Club is designed for school-aged children who want to make something creative and explore a new topic each week through books and activities. It meets after school each Tuesday at 4:30 P.M. On Tuesday, February 14th, we’ll have some lovely stories and a craft about Valentine’s Day. Wednesday, February 15 – 10:15 Toddler Story time. Little princes and princesses will enjoy Stories From the Castle and a craft. Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. Little See WARREN, 24 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

Page 24 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017

330 E Criser Rd Front Royal, Va 22630, 540-635-3153 ext. 105 www. samuelslibrary.net General Education Development: Samuels Public Library invites you to register and attend the General Education Development course. This course will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 A.M-12:30 P.M (except on school holidays or closings). The GED course is completely free. Let this course be the stepping

“A Common Grace” – Two women, African American and European American, share their story of racial reconciliation across family histories linked by slavery The Friends of Samuels Library and Front Royal Women’s Resource Center are pleased to sponsor a presentation by Dr. Betty Kilby Fisher Baldwin and Phoebe Kilby. Entitled “A Common Grace,” their talk will take place at Samuels Library, 330 E. Criser Road, Front Royal, VA, on Saturday, February 25, 10:30 am to noon. The event is free and open to the public. Betty and Phoebe did not know of each other until 2007, when Phoebe learned that her family enslaved people in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and that Betty was likely descended from those enslaved people. Phoebe sent Betty an email on Martin Luther King Day of that year, thus beginning their journey of discovery and racial reconciliation. Phoebe and Betty have since become leaders in Coming to the Table, a national organization that seeks to fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream that “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” Many in Front Royal know Betty Kilby Baldwin and her Kilby family for their significant role in the desegregation of Warren County High School in 1959. Betty was an infant plaintiff in the successful case of Betty Kilby, et al., vs. Warren County Board of Education. Prior to the ruling in this case, African Americans in Warren County were provided schooling locally only through the 7th grade. Betty graduated from Warren County High School in 1963. Twenty years later she continued her fight for an education to earn an Associai

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Schools Closed Fun Day NO SCHOOL?! No reason to sit home wondering what to do. Grab some friends and join in on some structured and non-structured activities such as pick-up basketball, volleyball, dodge ball or take some swings in the batting cage. We will also have a game room with various video games, ping pong and/or pool table. The Warren County Parks and Recreation Department will be holding a School’s Closed Gym’s Open Fun Day for those interested on Friday, February 3 and Monday, February 20 from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Warren County Health & Human Services Gym, 465 W. 15th Street, Front Royal. This program is open to anyone 7 to 15 years old; those attending must have a signed parent permission slip. Permission slips may be picked up in advance at the Warren County Community Center, 538 Villa Ave., Front Royal. The cost is $5.00 per participant and a wrist band will be given so children can come in and out at no additional cost. Justifiable Use of Force Class The Warren County Parks and Recreation Department will be holding a Justifiable Use of Force Class for those interested on Saturday, February 4 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Warren County Community Center, 538 Villa Avenue, Front Royal. This class is open to anyone 10 years of age and older; those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. This class deals with the laws of selfdefense and the use of deadly force. This class will help you understand about the use of force in self-defense with hands, knives, and firearms. The cost is $35.00 per participant and is limited to 35 participants; preregistration is required. For more information about the course contact Rex King at DFV357@yahoo.com. This class is

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ate’s degree, then a Bachelor’s degree, MBA, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Shenandoah University in 2010. Facing many obstacles along the way, Betty climbed the corporate ladder from a $2.10 minimum wage job to become the highest ranking African American female in a fortune 500 company in the year of 1986. Phoebe grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, knowing nothing of Betty or her family history. She had easy access to a quality education at the high school, college and graduate levels. But like Betty she faced obstacles as a woman competing with men for professional jobs and business success. Sharing stories has become a way to strengthen their bond as friends and as family. Phoebe and Betty lead workshops and dialogue sessions throughout United States telling their story of “Common Grace.” They hope to inspire others to find common ground to make this world a better place. About Front Royal Women’s Resource Center: The Front Royal Women’s Resource Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1996 to provide a support network for women in the Warren County area through programs, information and education. Visit our website frwrc.org and follow us on Twitter @ FRWRC. About Samuel Public Library: For more than two centuries, Front Royal has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to providing public access to literature and learning. Samuel’s Pubic Library brings people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. Visit our website at samuelslibrary.net. Friends of Samuels Library: The members/ volunteers of The Friends of Samuels Library support the library’s mission by supporting and sponsoring educational programming and enhancing the Library’s financial resources.”

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Samuels Public Library Adult Programming February 15-28, 2017

Grace.” They hope to inspire others to find common ground to make this world a better place.

princes and princesses will enjoy Stories From the Castle and a craft. Siblings welcome. Thursday, February 16 - 10:15 Toddler Story time. Little princes and princesses will enjoy Stories From the Castle and a craft. Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. Little princes and princesses will enjoy Stories From the Castle and a craft. Siblings welcome. Saturday, February 18 – 2:00 Discuss This: Teen Picks & Flicks. Are you inspired by good books, articles, movies, and art? Do you write, draw, or enjoy playing music? If so, join us as we watch movies, discuss books, and share our creations. Refreshments will be provided. Tuesday, February 21 – 4:30 The Maker Club. The Maker Club is designed for school-aged children who want to make something creative and explore a new topic each week through books and activities. It meets after school each Tuesday at 4:30 P.M. At our February 21st meeting, we will explore the design of dolls. Wednesday, February 22 – 10:15 Toddler Story time. Yee-haw! Let’s rustle up some stories, songs, and crafts for our “Way Out West” story time. Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. Yeehaw! Let’s rustle up some stories, songs, and crafts for our “Way Out West” story time. Siblings welcome. Thursday, February 23 - 10:15 Toddler Story time. Yee-haw! Let’s rustle up some stories, songs, and crafts for our “Way Out West” story time. Siblings welcome. 11:00 Preschool Story time. Yeehaw! Let’s rustle up some stories, songs, and crafts for our “Way Out West” story time. Siblings welcome. Saturday, February 25 – 2:00 Chess and More. Meet other kids and teens who enjoy the challenge of a good chess, checkers, or other board game. For ages 6 and up. Bring your favorite game with you. Registration begins January 25th. Tuesday, February 28 – 4:30 The Maker Club. The Maker Club is designed for school-aged children who want to make something creative and explore a new topic each week through books and activities. It meets after school each Tuesday at 4:30 P.M. On Tuesday, February 28th, we’ll have fun exploring the world of Dr. Seuss.

stone to your success. Hello Computer: Samuels Public Library invites you to attend our beginning computer class for total computer novices. It is a four week course that covers turning on a computer, using a mouse, setting up email and using the internet. Classes are held on Tuesdays from 1:00pm2:00pm. Exploring Computers: Samuel Public Library invites you to attend our intermediate computer class and improve your skills. Each month explore a new computer program or application in a safe, friendly environment with other intermediate computer users. Classes are held on Thursdays at 1:00pm. February will be focused on Social Media. Crochet Group: Samuels Public Library invites you to come out and learn how to crochet or share your talents. The group will meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 10am (February 8th and 22th). All ability levels welcome. Books and Beyond Book Club: Samuels Public Library invites you to attend the Books and Beyond Book Club! On Wednesday, February 15at 10:00 A.M., North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell will be discussed. Vibes in the Libes: Bluegrass with Bobby: Samuels Public Library invites you to join musician Bobby Graves for a free lunchtime bluegrass jam session on Friday, February 17th at 12:30pm. Bring your lunch, tell a friend and enjoy! Common Grace: Samuels Public Library invites you to join us Saturday, February 25th at 10:30am for a presentation by Dr. Betty Kilby Fisher Baldwin and Phoebe Kilby, sponsored by the Friends of Samuels Library and Front Royal Women’s Resource Center. Two women, African American and European American, share their story of racial reconciliation across their family histories linked by slavery. Phoebe and Betty lead workshops and dialogue sessions throughout the United States telling their story of “Common

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Players will play several hands of Mah Jongg against skilled opponents. This club meets on Tuesdays, February 7 through February 22 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Warren County Community Center, 538 Villa Ave., Front Royal. The cost for the club is $6.00 per player and players must bring their own players card. For more information about

Come out and take a chance on meeting the person of your dreams. You will get personal one on one time with each member in attendance. Once you have meet all of the participants you will be given light refreshments and a chance to mingle and get to know the individuals you are compatible with. This event will be held at the Front

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Royal Golf Club, Banquet Room, 902 Country Club Road, Front Royal on the second Thursdays of each month, starting February 9, from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The cost to speed date will be $10.00 per participant and a minimum of 14 participants with a maximum of 20 participants is needed. (Group must consist of half females and half males.) For more information about the course, contact Rachael Walker at (540) 635-1021 or via e-mail at recsupervisor@warrencountyva.net. Mother-Son Date Night Calling all mothers! Trying to find the perfect way to bond with your son? The County of Warren Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a Mother-Son Date Night, on Saturday, February 11. It’s a special night just for moms and their sons. The evening will include dinner provided by Apple House Catering and served at the Warren County Com-

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cle, big brother or a family friend. This program is for daughters ages 12 years and younger. The cost of the program is $30.00 each couple; $10.00 each additional daughter, this includes one commemorative photo. The dance is limited to 100 participants; pre-registration is required. Dance will be held at the Warren County Community Center, 538 Villa Ave., Front Royal, Saturday, February 18, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Disney on Ice presents Dream Big Come experience a magical Disney fantasy on ice! Enter a world where adventure is awaiting and courage leads the way at Disney on Ice presents Dream Big. Through enchanted pixie-dust, Tinker Bell takes you on a journey of beloved Disney tales LIVE ON ICE. Make a splash with the fearless dreamer Ariel as she yearns to explore life above the waves. Watch Rapunzel, Cinderella and Belle as they learn about the power to make their own magic. Travel to the wintry world of Arendelle with sisters Anna and Elsa, and the hilarious Olaf from Disney’s Frozen as they learn that true love is the greatest magic of all. Be there to discover a whole new world with the daring Jasmine, and join Snow White, Aurora and Tiana as they remind you to always be strong, kind and fearless. The bus will leave from the Warren County Community Center; 538 Villa Avenue, Front Royal, at 2:00 p.m. for the live action adventure at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. on Sunday, February 19, show time is 4:30pm. The cost is $55.00 per reservation, includes admission ticket and transportation. Tickets are limited to six (6) tickets per household, with only 38 tickets available. Ballroom Dancing “Ballroom dance” refers to traditional partnered dance forms that are done by a couple, often in the embrace of closed dance position (ballroom dance position). These include waltz, swing, tango and salsa. These classes are held at the Warren County Community Center, 538 Villa Avenue, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, Tuesday, February 21, 2017 through March 28, 2017 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. Participants must be 14 years of age or older and dancers of all skill levels are welcome. Minimum of 2 couples and 4 singles needed to hold the class, with a maximum of 10 singles or 5 couples, total of 20 people. The cost of the class for 6 weeks will be $75.00 per single, $135.00 per couple. For more information regarding class instruction, please email zumba.lizi@gmail. com. Registration information for any of these programs can be obtained by contacting the Warren County Community Center at (540) 635-1021 or via email at wcccinfo@ warrencountyva.net Send your short news items to: briefs@warrencountyreport.com

Page 26 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017

VIRGINIA Senate OKs bill allowing warrantless inspections of farms

By Jesse Adcock Capital News Service RICHMOND – A bill approved by the Senate would allow state inspectors to carry out warrantless inspections of hundreds of Virginia produce farms to ensure compliance with federal regulations. “It’s one of those bills you don’t like, but someone’s got to carry it,” said the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Westmoreland County. He said that if the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services doesn’t conduct the inspections, “then the federal government will come in and do it for us.” But some farming representatives argued that the inspections would violate their constitutional rights. “If the government has free access to your property, that’s in violation of the Fourth Amendment,” Richard Altice of the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association told legislators. “You are mandated to kill this bill.” Despite such protests, the Senate voted 25-15 Wednesday to pass

SB 1195, which would give state inspectors free access at all reasonable hours to any farm subject to regulation under the federal Food Safety Modernization Act. The inspectors could seize any produce they suspect may be in violation of federal regulations or state law. Any farmer found out of compliance with the regulations would be subject to a civil fine of up to $1,000. In September, the U.S. Drug and Food Administration awarded Virginia funding to implement the Produce Safety Rule, part of the Food Safety Modernization Act signed into law in 2011 by President Barack Obama. Under the rule, states were given the choice to enforce the regulations themselves or have the FDA do it. “It’s a question of whether we do the inspections or the FDA,” said Sandra Adams, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Adams said there would be no inspections during the first two years of the state law’s implementation. Instead, VDACS will focus on education and outreach to the farmers affected by the federal rules to help them come into compliance.

“We know we are going to have to comply with this law,” said Kevin Kirby, a fourth-generation farmer from Mechanicsville. “We’d much prefer VDACS – when we get involved with the FDA, all we get is a hammer thrown at us.” Katie Frazier, president of the Virginia Agribusiness Council, criticized the FDA’s enforcement procedures. She said the FDA has put a stop-sell order on a suspect farmer’s produce, only to lift it days later, leaving what was good produce rotted and unfit for sale. The federal rule sets standards for sanitation, processing and transportation of produce. The standards do not apply to farmers who grow only produce that is rarely consumed raw, such as asparagus, black beans and potatoes. Moreover, farmers who grow produce exclusively for their own consumption, or have made less than $25,000 from produce sales during the preceding three years, are exempt from the federal rule. “Of the 2,300 produce farmers in Virginia, only 400 would be affected by this legislation,” Frazier said. FDA officials say the federal regulations will help prevent people from getting sick from eating produce. “The Produce Safety Rule, along with other FSMA-mandated rules to regulate food production, importation and transportation, will better protect consumers from foodborne illness,” the FDA’s website states. On the Senate floor Wednesday,

Republican Sen. Richard Black of Leesburg opposed Stuart’s state inspections bill. He noted that California and other states had opted out of instituting their own inspection programs. “The bill doesn’t say when the Department of Agriculture can come onto their (farmers’) property,” Black said. “They’d have rights to come onto their farm daily if they wanted. There’s no due process for the farm-

ers. There’s no protection.” The bill was recommended for approval by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources. During a committee hearing, Altice said the state inspections law may be unnecessary because the Trump administration likely will withdraw the Produce Safety Rule along with other federal regulations. During his successful presidential

Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 27 campaign, Donald Trump pledged to roll back regulations by what he called the “FDA food police.” According to Stuart’s bill, if federal funds to enforce federal regulations are cut, the state inspections program would be, too. “If the current administration decides to eliminate the law, this program will cease as well,” Stuart said. ‘Left-lane bandits’ may face $250 fine

By Nick Versaw Capital News Service RICHMOND – The House of Delegates has approved a bill that would impose a mandatory $250 fine for driving too slowly in the left lane on highways. HB 2201 was introduced by Del. Israel O’Quinn, R-Bristol, and cosponsored by Democrats Del. Kaye Kory of Falls Church and Sen. Scott Surovell of Fairfax to show bipartisan support for the measure. O’Quinn said this is something that affects all Virginians, regardless of which side of the aisle they align themselves with. “It doesn’t matter which corner of the commonwealth you come from,” he said when addressing the bill on

the House floor Monday. “It doesn’t matter which interstate or four-lane highway that you have going through the districts you represent. I guarantee you are going to encounter this many times, even if you’re on the highways for just a few minutes.” “Left lane bandits,” as they are often known, have become a “particularly pervasive and ever-growing problem” on Virginia roadways, O’Quinn said. Under current Virginia law, driving in the left lane is illegal except when passing or when it is deemed “otherwise impractical,” but there is no fine for failing to obey the law. O’Quinn said that, for the safety of all Virginian drivers, he hopes to change that. “I consulted with a lot of law enforcement officers, first responders, et cetera, about this, and every single one of them, without fail, had some sort of story where they ran up on a car who’s going grossly under the speed limit in the left lane, which then required them to have to attempt to pass on the right, which is not legal nor safe,” O’Quinn said. “A number of close calls and a few accidents, in fact, have occurred from that.” O’Quinn also said that, in addition to helping curb dangerous highspeed accidents, the bill would help

decrease road rage incidents on Virginia’s highways. “This is also something that is one of the leading causes of road rage – which certainly, I am not condoning by any stretch – but it’s something that law enforcement officers many times can point back to as the root of a number of road rage incidents,” O’Quinn said. He added that he and his co-sponsors are not trying to change traffic laws, but rather help drivers understand the dangers of disobeying lane rules. “I’m not trying to mess with the definition of what it means to pass on the left or stay in the right lane or any of that stuff,” he added. “But, simply put, a penalty behind it shows that we understand the seriousness behind it and that we’re going to be serious about actually enforcing it.” The House voted 66-31 for final passage of the bill on Tuesday. It now goes to the Senate for further consideration. How they voted Here is how the House voted Tuesday on HB 2201 (“Failure to drive on right side of highways or observe traffic lanes; increases penalties”). Floor: 01/31/17 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (66-Y 31-N) YEAS – Adams, Anderson, Austin, Bell, John J., Bell, Richard P., Byron, Campbell, Cline, Collins, Cox, Davis, Dudenhefer, Edmunds, Farrell, Fowler, Freitas, Gilbert, Greason, Habeeb, Hayes, Head, Helsel, Heretick, Herring, Hester, Hodges, Holcomb, Hope, Ingram, James, Jones, Kilgore, Knight, Krizek, Landes, LaRock, Leftwich, LeMunyon, Lindsey, Lingamfelter, Lopez, Loupassi, Marshall, D.W., Marshall, R.G., Massie, Miller, Minchew, Morris, O’Bannon, O’Quinn, Orrock, Peace, Pillion, Plum, Ransone, Rasoul, Rush, Stolle, Villanueva, Ware, Watts, Webert, Wright, Yancey, Yost, Speaker

Howell – 66. NAYS – Aird, Albo, Bagby, Bell, Robert B., Bloxom, Boysko, Bulova, Carr, Cole, Filler-Corn, Garrett, Hugo, Keam, Kory, Levine, McQuinn, Miyares, Mullin, Murphy, Pogge, Poindexter, Price, Robinson, Sickles, Simon, Sullivan, Torian, Toscano, Tyler, Ward, Wilt – 31. NOT VOTING – Fariss, Morefield – 2. Dog hunters and landowners argue over trespassing bill

By Julie Rothey Capital News Service RICHMOND – Hunters may have to pay a fine if their dog enters private property under a bill in front of the House of Delegates. A revised version of HB 1900, in-

troduced by House Speaker William Howell, R-Stafford County, passed the House Rules Committee on Tuesday. The bill springs from tension between landowners and hunters who use dogs to chase deer. Hunters could be fined up to $100 for a first offense and up to $250 for a second offense if their dogs trespass on private property. For the fines to apply, landowners would have to either post signs to keep dogs out or inform the hunter in writing to keep dogs off his or her land. The law would be enforced by animal control officers, conservation police, and other law-enforcement officers. “This is an agenda to outlaw hunting with dogs,” said Kirby Burch, CEO of the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance. Its members held a rally at the

Page 28 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017 Capitol last month to protest the bill. Burch told the Rules Committee that according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, dogs were involved in only about 5 percent of hunting complaints in Virginia from July 2014 to June 2015. “Where’s the beef?” Burch asked, if such a small percentage of complaints have to do with dogs. Rob Nicholson, a landowner who supports the bill, said the beef is that he couldn’t bring his dogs to his farm during rifle-hunting season, and he was worried about his 18-month-old daughter because “every single day the dogs ran through my farm.” Nicholson hunts on his property, without using dogs. “Why in the world would someone say we’re trying to take away your ability to hunt when we’re just saying, ‘Please keep your dogs off our property’?” Nicholson asked. The bill also would allow a landowner to stop a trespassing dog long enough to confirm its identification. Dog owners argue that the dogs are

just pursuing deer and don’t intentionally trespass and that landowners should not interfere with the hunt. “To say that a dog in pursuit cannot be stopped is absolutely the most ludicrous thing,” Nicholson said. Burch said the hunting dog alliance’s main concern is landowners potentially having the right to restrain dogs to identify them. “Who’s going to do that identification?” Burch asked, arguing that sheriffs and game wardens don’t have the resources to answer calls to identify dogs. He said hunters are worried that landowners would be able to hold dogs until a law enforcement official was available. Nicholson responded that he would only restrain a dog to take a picture for future identification. Burch also defended the current law’s provision allowing hunters the right to retrieve a dog that has crossed a property line. “This (bill) negates the right to retrieve,” Burch said. If a hunting dog strays onto an-

other person’s property, the hunter has the “right to retrieve” the animal, even if the hunter has been previously asked not to trespass. “The right to retrieve law is an unconstitutional law,” said Donald Wright, a landowner and hunter in the Virgilina community in Halifax County. Wright, who supported the bill, said it “restores property rights to people like me.” Under the current law, it’s a misdemeanor to intentionally release dogs on another person’s land to hunt without the consent of the landowner. However, if a dog is found on another’s property, there usually is not enough evidence to prove the intentional release of that dog. While the House Rules Committee approved HB 1900 on an 11-4 vote, it awaits action on the House floor. If approved there, it would go to the Senate. A Senate committee killed a hunting-with-dogs bill Wednesday. Senate Bill 1545 would have held hunters liable for damages to the property their dog entered, if they let them onto private property intentionally. The bill, introduced by Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax County, would have made it a Class 3 misdemeanor if a hunter or dog trainer knew, or should have known, about an imminent trespass while hunting or training. The Senate Committee for Courts and Justice voted unanimously to table SB 1545.

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House OKs carrying concealed switchblades

By. Mary Lee Clark Capital News Service RICHMOND – Virginians soon may be allowed to carry concealed switchblade knives under legislation moving through the General Assembly. The House of Delegates voted 5739 Monday to approve HB 1432 and send it to the Senate for consideration. The bill was sponsored by Republican Dels. Lee Ware of Powhatan and Scott Lingamfelter of Woodbridge. The bill states, “Any person may carry a switchblade knife concealed when such knife is carried for the purpose of engaging in a lawful profession or recreational activity the performance of which is aided by the use of a switchblade knife.” Ware said he proposed the bill on behalf of knife collectors such as the Greater Richmond Knife Club. He also said roofers and other workers use switchblade knives in their jobs. “Look past the shining but disorienting name – switchblade – and look at the actual purpose and the actual words of the legislation, and join me in helping ordinary folks, hobbyists and tradesmen by voting on this

bill,” Ware told his colleagues. In addition to tool and knife groups, the bill has also been supported by Second Amendment rights groups. Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, spoke against the bill, saying its language is too broad and would allow people with bad intentions to legally conceal carry a switchblade. He said the bill is well-intentioned but would have bad consequences. “Switchblades were originally put into the code several times to keep these deadly weapons out of the hands of gangs,” Lopez said. “Dangerous and deadly weapons like these in the hands of a bad actor are not good for our communities to have around.” Under current law, it is legal to own and open-carry switchblades in Virginia, but it is illegal to conceal-carry certain knives including switchblades, bowie knives and dirks. Dirks are small daggers. Similar knife legislation has been approved in the Senate: Like HB 1432, Senate Bill 1347 would allow switchblades to be carried concealed. It passed the Senate last week on a vote of 23-16 with one abstention. SB 865 allows the transfer of dirks, switchblade and bowie knives from family members to a minor. The Senate approved the bill last week, 21-

Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 29 19. Virginia likely to ease rules on marijuana

By SaraRose Martin Capital News Service RICHMOND – Virginia won’t be pulling a Colorado by decriminalizing marijuana this year. But the state might relax its penalties for possessing marijuana and its rules on who can use marijuana products for medical reasons. Legislators this session introduced more than a dozen marijuana-related proposals. A Senate committee last week killed two bills to decriminalize the substance, and a House bill likely will die this week. However, lawmakers seem amenable to making marijuana products more available for medical purposes

and to being more lenient with Virginians convicted of simple possession of marijuana. Still, those bills have drawn opposition from certain legislators, highlighting a cultural divide within the General Assembly. That divide was evident in the debate last week over a bill allowing Virginians with cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease and several other illnesses to use cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil, which are extracted from marijuana. Under current law, only people with intractable epilepsy can use the oils. Cannabidiol oil and THC-A are non-psychoactive: They cannot be smoked or get users high. Even so, SB 1298 sparked debate; 11 of the 40 senators voted against it. Sen. Dick Black, R-Loudoun, recalled returning from serving in the Marines in Vietnam in the 1960s. “Pot was the biggest thing, and

CRIME OF THE WEEK Frederick County Crime of the Week - January 30, 2017 This week’s Crime of the Week involves a burglary/grand larceny call on January 24, 2017 to the 100 block of Amoco Lane. The victim reported upon arrival at the site on that date, he discovered his black and red snow plow with Western printed across the front of it was missing. He also noted that the property owner’s black landscaping trailer, which was parked on the lot had also been removed. If you have any information regarding a suspect or a suspect vehicle in this incident, please contact Crime solvers at (540) 665-TIPS (8477). Information leading to the arrest of a suspect may result in a reward of up to $1,000. Incident #17000375 Investigator C. Streit Winchester City Crime of the Week - January 20, 2017 The Winchester Police Department is investigating multiple thefts from vehicles on National Avenue that occurred between January 15 and January 16, 2017. Multiple victims reported that their unlocked vehicles had been gone through during the night and items were taken. Items taken from the vehicles include wallets with miscellaneous personal items, an Apple MacBook Pro Laptop, cash, change, and beverages. If you have any information regarding a suspect or a suspect vehicle in this incident, please contact Crime Solvers at 540-665-TIPS (8477). Information leading to the arrest of a suspect may result in a reward of up to $1,000. Please Reference Incident #: 17001950

we had just simply had a collapse of good order and discipline,” Black told his Senate colleagues. “I know where we’re headed; I can see a slippery slope. I do not want to see this country go back where it was in the ’60s and the ’70s because believe me it was not pretty. It was the worst of all times I have lived through.” SB 1298 was sponsored by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Winchester. She acknowledged there has been opposition to adding a dozen diseases to the list of ailments that qualify for a marijuana-extract oil. But making the treatment available to people with severe diseases doesn’t impose a public safety risk, Vogel said. “Not only does it lack side effects but it also has really healing properties. There has been some quibbling over the breadth of the list. But if you have someone in your family with a debilitating genetic disorder or is dying a painful death from one of these diseases, which one are you going to pick?” Vogel said. Three other bills before the General Assembly seek to expand medical uses of marijuana. The most expansive is HB 2135, introduced by Del. Mark Levine, D-Alexandria. It would allow a physician to recommend and a pharmacist to distribute marijuana or THC for treatment of any medical condition. The bill is awaiting a hearing in the House Courts of Justice Committee. The other bills are more limited. HB 1637, by Del. Glenn Davis, RVirginia Beach, would let people with Crohn’s disease use cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil. And SB 1452, by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, would do the same for people with cancer. Davis’ bill is before a committee. The Senate is voting on Lucas’ measure this week. Legislators also filed three bills that sought to decriminalize possession of up to a half-ounce of marijuana. Currently, that offense is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail; defendants also lose their driver’s license for six months. Under bills filed by Lucas (SB 908) and Del. Steve Heretick, D-Portsmouth (HB 1906), simple possession of marijuana would draw a civil penalty up to $250 for a first violation. Under SB 1269 by Sen. Adam Ebbin,

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D-Alexandria, a first offender would face a civil fine of no more than $100. Last week, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee voted unanimously to kill Ebbin’s and Lucas’ bills. The corresponding committee in the House has yet to hold a hearing on Heretick’s bill. It’s safe to say that Virginia won’t be joining Colorado and seven other states, as well as Washington, D.C., in legalizing recreational marijuana. But it’s likely the General Assembly will lessen the penalties associated with simple marijuana possession. The Senate already has passed one bill to do that: SB 1091, sponsored by Ebbin. Under the measure, the state would no longer automatically suspend the driver’s license of an adult convicted of marijuana possession.

The bill, which the Senate passed 38-2 last week, says juveniles still would be subject to a six-month suspension of their driver’s license. Del. Les Adams, R-Chatham, is carrying a companion bill (HB 2051) in the House. The House Courts of Justice Committee unanimously approved the bill last week and sent it to the full House of Delegates for consideration.

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Page 30 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Mid February, 2017

Friday, February 3 Cloudy, with a high near 38. Light northwest wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. 1:30pm - 2:30pm Education Committee. Chamber Office. Saturday, February 4 Sunny, with a high near 39. West wind 5 to 8 mph. 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. Elks Lodge on Guard Hill Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes, progressive

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Monday, February 6 Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. 5pm - 6pm UFAC Meeting. Front Royal Administration Building, 102 E Main Street, Front Royal. Tuesday, February 7 A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday, February 8 A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 30%. 3:30pm - 5pm Chamber Board Meeting. Chamber Office. Thursday, February 9 Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. Elks Lodge on Guard Hill 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. (540) 622-7506. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

The Oak Club King Features Weekly Service

• It was 20th-century American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman who made the following sage observation: “It doesn’t matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn’t matter how smart you are. If it doesn’t agree with experiment, it’s wrong.” • Historians report that Alexander the Great — best known for his conquests throughout Asia and North Africa, which helped to create one of the ancient world’s largest empires before he turned 30 — had a hard-and-fast rule for his soldiers: no beards. Alexander didn’t want to give their enemies anything to grab onto during battle. • If you’re sending a letter to Ireland, don’t worry if the address you have on file is missing the postal code; in that country the only addresses that use them are in the capital, Dublin. • In 2002, researchers conducted a study to determine how consumers’ decisions are influenced by seemingly minor changes in appearance. They presented car-buyers with a variety of webpages; everything on the pages was the same — the vehicles presented, the information provided, prices, etc. — except for the background. One group got a green background with a pattern of pennies on it, and one group got a red background with a pattern of flames. As it turns out, the background did, indeed, influence behavior: Consumers in the green-background group spent more time looking at information about cost, while those in the red-background group spent more time looking at details about safety features. • In Ireland, to ensure good luck on a child’s birthday, it was once the tradition to hold the child by the feet and bump his or her head on the floor once for each of the child’s years. *** Thought for the Day: “God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.” — Voltaire

Sunday, February 5 A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Super Bowl LI on Fox

2pm - 3pm Ambassador's Club. Chamber Office.

January 23, 2017

By Samantha Weaver

games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab. (540) 622-7506. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

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Mid February, 2017 • Warren & Frederick County Report • Page 31 Saturday, February 11 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. Elks Lodge on Guard Hill 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. (540) 622-7506. Must be 12 to play. No smoking. Monday, February 13 7pm - 8pm Council Meeting. County of Warren Government Center. 7pm - 8pm Council Work Session. Town Administration Building, 102 E. Main St.

Tuesday, February 14 Valentine's Day 7pm - 7pm BAR Meeting. Town Administration Building, Front Royal.

at 6:30. Food available for purchase. Door prizes, progressive games, queen of hearts, progressive pull tab. (540) 622-7506. Must be 12 to play. No smoking.

Wednesday, February 15 7pm - 8pm Planning Commission Meeting. County of Warren Government Center.

Saturday, February 18 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. Elks Lodge on Guard Hill 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. (540) 622-7506. Must be 12 to play. No smoking. Send your short news items to: briefs@warrencountyreport.com

Thursday, February 16 5pm - 8pm Third Thursday Art Walk. Downtown Front Royal 6:30pm - 9:30pm Bingo. Elks Lodge on Guard Hill Road, Front Royal. Doors open at 4:30. Early birds

Pet-of-the-Week Regina

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Humane Society of Warren County

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

2017 Humane Society of Warren County Dog Show Raffle! Each raffle ticket will be randomly assigned to a dog breed competing in the Westminster Dog Show. Watch the dog show on February 13th and 14th to see if your number wins BEST IN SHOW! Check your number on Facebook.com/HumaneSocietyWarrenCountyFrontRoyalVA Winner to be contacted February 15, 2017. All proceeds benefit the “UNIQUE” breeds at the Humane Society of Warren County, VA. Tickets only $10 for a 1 in 202 chance to win $500! The Dog Show Raffle is made possible by our pawsome local sponsors: Shear Elegance Pet Boutique, Lester & Mowery’s Pharmacy & Syntax Communications, Inc. Curtis: 6 yr old neutered male pit bull mix. He was surrendered when his family moved and couldn’t take him. He’s house + crate trained, did well with other dogs + cats in his previous home and knows basic obedience commands.

Finn: 4 yr old neutered male lab mix. He’s a super sweet guy that just loves to snuggle! He’s a little shy of strangers, but gets very attached to his family. He’s would do best in a quiet family home.

Pepper: 2 yr old male pit mix. Pepper is a very playful boy that would love an active family! Pepper loves other dogs! His ideal family would include another active dog for him to play with.

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Chucky: 8 yr old neutered male chow who cannot wait to find his new forever home! He gets along well with other dogs and has done well with children, but please no cats.

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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, 2017

2706A – 2007 HONDA CRV – EX, LOCAL TRADE, AWD, MOONROOF, 1 OWNER - $9,777

T1711A – 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK –LIMITED, LOCAL TRADE, 1 OWNER, LTHR, MOONROOF, AWD - $10,777

P1457A – 2014 NISSAN ARMADA – SL, 4WD, LEATHER, DVD, LOCAL TRADE, 1 OWNER - $32,977

T5714A – 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE – CXL, AWD, LEATHER, 1 OWNER, LOCAL TRADE - $14,677

T1611A – 2006 FORD F150 – FX4, NEW TIRES, LOCAL TRADE, 1 OWNER, ONLY 86K! - $14,977

T1704A – 2010 FORD F150 – LARIAT, ONLY 19K, HTD LTHR, 4WD, LOCAL TRADE - $25,677

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T1642B – 2015 CHEVY MALIBU – LTZ, ONLY 8K, HTD LTHR, MOONROOF, LOCAL TRADE - $19,877

T1656A – 2014 TOYOTA AVALON – XLE, HTD LTHR, NEW TIRES, LOCAL TRADE, 1 OWNER - $18,877

P1428 – 2013 FORD EDGE – SEL, AWD, CERTIFIED, NAVIGATION, MOONROOF, HTD LTHR - $23,677

P1365 – 2014 FORD MUSTANG – V6 PREMIUM, ONLY 5K, LEATHER, CERTIFIED, LIKE NEW - $18,977

P1461 – 2013 FORD F150 – STX, 5.0L, 4WD, CERTIFIED, NEW TIRES, 1 OWNER - $25,977

P1476A – 2013 JEEP PATRIOT – LIMITED, 4WD, NAVIGATION, HTD LTHR, 1 OWNER, LOCAL TRADE - $15,977

P1479 – 2016 FORD F150 – XLT, 4WD, CERTIFIED, 5.0L, 18K MILES - $29,777

T7722A – 2013 FORD ESCAPE – SEL, AWD, HTD LTHR, REMOTE START, POWER LIFTGATE - $15,977

P1491 – 2016 DODGE JOURNEY – SXT, AWD, 3RD ROW, FACTORY WARRANTY, 1 OWNER - $17,977

9135 Winchester Road, Front Royal • 540-636-2901 • shenandoahford.com Tax Title and Tags not included in vehicle prices shown and must be paid by the purchaser. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this ad, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at 877-636-2902 or by visiting us at the dealership. $499 processing fee not included.