Late December 2019 Warren/Frederick County

Warren/Frederick County Report

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Page 2 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Virginia State Parks seeks Youth Conservation Corps crew leaders

Virginia State Parks are recruiting outgoing, adventureseeking, hard-working people to serve as 2020 crew leaders in the Youth Conservation Corps program.

Each summer, YCC engages 200 young people in state parks throughout Virginia, accom-

plishing projects such as trail maintenance, basic construction and beautification of the parks. Crew leaders manage these crews.

Applications are accepted until all positions are filled. Applicants can request specific sessions but not specific parks.

Three crew leaders are responsible for crews of 10 students ages 14-17 during the three-week program. Leaders will direct participants in work projects during the weekdays, schedule environmental education programs for weeknights and plan adventure outings on weekends. Although the work involves being outside in the

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heat of the summer, crew leaders have a lot to gain from this experience.

“The YCC program builds leaders and instills in participants the values and ethos that make Virginia State Parks a premier environmental organization,” said Interim State Parks Director David Collett.

“Some YCC crew members and leaders have gone on to be hired as part-time and fulltime state park employees, so this is a wonderful opportunity to begin a career working in the outdoors.”

Nearly 3,000 young people have participated in the YCC program since 2000.

Living alongside crewmembers in park-provided housing, crew leaders are expected to plan meals, transport the crew, schedule and plan weekend activities, and ensure the safety of the crew during the workday. A complete list of crew leader duties can be found on the YCC website.

Crew leaders must attend mandatory training at Twin Lakes State Park, June 15-18, 2020.

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Crew Leaders must arrive at their park the Thursday prior to the crewmember arrival date.

Session 1 runs June 18-July 11. Session 2 runs July 16-Aug. 8.

Upon completion of the three-week program, crew leaders receive a $1,800 stipend and a $350 travel stipend. Crew leaders working both sessions will receive the stipend at the end of each session.

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

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Page 4 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Harlem Globetrotters set to return to Shenandoah University next March

Harlem Globe Trotter Star Sweet Lou II Dunbar tells the press details on the upcoming event that will be held on March 19, 2020, which the Harlem Globetrotters will be hosting, sponsored by United Bank and promoted by Ross Potts Productions Inc.

By Timothy Ratigan Warren/Frederick County Report The Harlem Globetrotters will be coming back to James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center in March next year for a one-night event filled

with basketball alley-oops and acrobatics.

It was announced during a press conference at the Events Center on December 6th that the Globetrotters are scheduled to take to the court there on the 19th of March. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and the

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event starts at 7:00 p.m.

Fans who purchase a Magic Pass can take advantage of a pre-event function at 5:30 p.m.

This pass will allow attendees to learn tricks, shoot hoops, get autographs and take photos with the Harlem Globetrotters. Doors for the Magic Pass holders will open at 5:00 p.m.

Russ Potts Productions, Inc. (RPPI) has organized of the event and it is sponsored by United Bank.

“We are thrilled to bring the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters back to Winchester,” said RPPI Senior Vice President Zach Franz.

“The event last year was a huge success, and this time around it will be bigger and better. Last year, tickets sold out well in advance of event day, and there were so many people who didn’t get to come.

“Because it’s great family entertainment we’ll expect to see a bunch of people enjoy this event for a second time, so be sure to get your tickets early.

Event tickets are affordably priced and makes a great holiday gift idea,” he continued.

Tickets are on sale now, with approximately 2,000 seats available overall. Reserved

seating is available, as well as pre-show Magic Pass Tickets that start at $25. These can be purchased at www.eventbrite. com.

Canned and boxed food will be collected at the door and will benefit the nonprofit organization Bright Futures Frederick/Winchester, which helps address local K-12 student needs.

“Bright Futures Frederick/

Winchester provides weekend food packs to over 900 children every week who attend Winchester City and Frederick County Public Schools,” said Program Coordinator Nancy Mango.

“The support provided by community drives such as this are invaluable to our mission and to the students who experience food insecurity when not in school. Donations will

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literally change a child’s life,” she added.

Mango had additional information that she passed along at the press conference about Bright Future Frederick/Winchester.

“As we did last year, we are going to do a food drive for this event too. Breakfast is key for the start of the day, so we are going to be focusing on breakfast and healthy snacks this year. We will be providing food packs for this year at this

point for 1,000 students.

“Just think about that for a moment. A thousand kids, without your support, would possibly have nothing to eat or very little to eat or definitely go home with the feeling of ‘I don’t know if I am going to get or have anything to eat.’

“So what we do is at least provide them with enough food to replace what they would’ve gotten if they were at school. That includes two breakfasts, two lunches, fruits

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vegetables and snacks – those kinds of things. We are excited that beginning in January we are going to be able to start providing shelf stable milk.

That is going to be a key thing for our kids to be able to have.

So without the support from places like United Way we would not be able to provide that.

“So I also want to take the time to give a shout out to our athletes here at the University who recently held a major drive for us consisting of non-perishable cans. It took the football players and one Lacrosse player 15 minutes to pack my van full,” she reported.

The Globetrotters are no strangers in supporting good causes, too. They perform more than 450 live events worldwide annually. They were founded in 1926 and have played more than 26,000 games in 122 countries and territories. Known worldwide as Ambassadors of Goodwill, the Harlem Globetrotters also present the ABCs of bullying prevention to children ages 6 years to 12 years.

Just prior to the press conference, Harlem Globetrotter star, Sweet Lou II Dunbar visited Orchard View Elementary School and Admiral Richard E. Byrd Middle School and included Evendale Elementary School’s fifth grade classes.

“The Globetrotters have always been entertainers and innovators, and this season will be no exception,” said head

Sweet Lou II Dunbar hands the ball off to Shenandoah University’s Senior Vice President Mitch Moore, showing off a little of what the crowd can expect early next spring.

coach and Globetrotter legend Lou Dunbar.

“Our fans have come to expect more than just a great show, and this year’s game at James R. Wilkins Jr. Athletics and Events Center promises to deliver more entertainment and excitement than ever before. We can’t wait to be in Winchester on March 19th

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2020,” he told them.

Harlem Globetrotter Star, Sweet Lou II Dunbar, was on hand to address the crowd as well.

“Just a little background on myself. I’ve been with the organization for just a little over 24 years and my father has been with the organization for over 43 years. To be able to come here and to be able to spread positive energy for not only the parents but to the kids as well and to leave lifelong memories here in Winchester is truly remarkable,” he said.

“I would also like to thank the United Bank for all that they do.”

Dunbar went on to let the attendees of the press conference know what everybody can expect at the game which he said were, “Lots of tricks and of course a lot of laughter.

We just want everyone to have a great time. We are going to show some love as well.”

–tim@areaguides.com

Page 6 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Donahoe’s Whimsical Flowers is stocked and ready for Christmas

Donahoe’s Whimsical Flowers, at 305 S. Royal Avenue in Front Royal, offers a wealth of floral arrangements, silk flowers, gifts and holiday decorations.

By Carol Ballard Warren/Frederick County Report Dawn Marshall has made Donahoe’s Florists into a wonderland of flowers, gifts and holiday decorations.

Stepping into her store is like stepping into a world of beauty.

She took over ownership of the “boutique” flower shop at 305 S. Royal Avenue in Front Royal 10 months ago and is pleased with her decision to take over the store from Jean Rudacille, who had owned the shop for the previous 20 years.

“I came in here on February first, two weeks before Valentine’s Day, and have not slowed up,” she said. “They said that summer would be slow, but it wasn’t.” she said. “I feel very blessed, it’s going very well.”

She gives a lot of credit for the smooth transition to the women she works with, Mary Kay Anderson and Mary Stover, who are both experienced in the industry.

“Thank God for my staff,” she said.

Dawn said that they all have to be able to do everything— answer phones, work on the computer and design flower arrangements.

Mary Kay was an employee of Donahoe’s for two years before Dawn bought the shop and started out as a driver, then learned the art of designing at the store.

“She’s a fabulous designer. She does beautiful work. I’m happy as I can be with her,” Dawn said.

And Mary Stover, an invaluable part of the team, previously owned three florist shops in West Virginia, so she had her extensive experience to share as well.

“She’s given me a lot of floral knowledge,” Dawn said.

Dawn is a Front Royal native and she talked about her plans for the business.

“I have a lot of ideas and I hope this takes me into my 80s and beyond retirement. I can’t wait to get down here in the morning!” she said. “You can teach old dogs new tricks, just take one step at a time to go after a dream. I’ve seen people change.”

In describing how the work has progressed, she went over some of her business practices.

She explained how she always wants to make everybody happy, and although difficult to achieve, she tries to do that.

“I make things the way people want, but if something is wrong, we’ll fix it,” she emphasized.

One example of her push for excellence is in the roses she buys. She said she buys premium garden roses like the ones seen on Pinterest, and pays more, but doesn’t pass the extra expense on to customers.

“They will last up to two weeks,” she said. “Also, I use “good quality stuff” for graves.

The silk flowers will hold up for

a year, and the poinsettias that are often used on graves won’t fade.”

She invites everyone to come in and see for themselves the abundance and quality of the items in the store. And she added that they keep a full stock of almost everything.

With so many ways to order online and when calling a business directly and rarely getting connected to a live person, it’s refreshing to get individualized service, but Dawn welcomes personal interaction.

She strongly advises people to call and talk directly to her to get the best arrangement possible for them.

She also cautions against going online and asking her for an arrangement exactly like the ones on there. The photos only show the front of them, she said, but she takes the time to place flowers all the way around.

“Everything is truly one of a kind. I can copy and do more

(than a photo of an arrangement online) and people are getting a work of art. I take pride in every flower that goes into them,” she said with pride.

Then she talked about the deeper philosophy of flowers, and explained, “Flowers have a power, and I want to use every power in each flower.”

She gave an example.

She told the story of a woman who was feeling sad because her pet had died, and someone thoughtfully had sent her flowers.

The woman’s words to Dawn were, “The power of the flowers did help.”

Dawn takes this energy behind the act of giving flowers for important and emotional times in people’s lives seriously.

“I want to take the most wonderful day of your life and make it better, make the worst day of your life a little bit more bearable, and every day in between a little bit more whimsical,” she

said.

She said she looks at an arrangement and asks whether she herself would pay that price, and if not, she won’t sell it for that price and will lower it to make it more reasonable.

“I don’t want flowers to be a burden for either a wedding or a funeral,” she observed. “And for weddings, to make it a ‘wedding of their dreams.’”

She cautioned that when looking flower arrangements on Pinterest, they generally look flat and show the most expensive flowers, so if a bride’s flower budget is in the $800 range, and is looking online, she may not find affordable settings.

Dawn wants the brides’ experience to be joyous, so if people call her, she can work around their budget and can find a better solution by asking them specific questions. She can find creative ways to help them get beautiful arrangements that don’t go beyond their limit.

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“I’m reasonable,” she says.

She has also done a lot of studying about the nature and qualities of the world of flowers and herbs. She carries this information with her when advising on unusual or specific requests from customers.

One woman, she said, came in and asked for edible flowers to make a salad for a Thanksgiving dinner.

So Dawn had a few suggestions. Several flowers like (pesticide-free) Nasturtiums, squash blossoms, dandelion leaves, and many more, are edible.

She has been asked to keep out some kinds of flowers from arrangements that are known to be harmful to cats because cats like to eat flowers and if someone is afraid a flower will harm dogs, she will not use it either.

For example, a man called and wanted to order red roses for his daughter when she graduated from school.

Dawn Marshall, owner of Donahoe’s Whimsical Flowers, presents her Christmas decorations and one-of-a-kind gifts in her shop, lavishly decorated for Christmas.

“I told him red roses are for ‘true love.’ I know you love your daughter, but not with that kind of love!” I suggested pink roses instead, and he agreed,” she said.

“Also, if I have older roses, they will go for half price. Peo-

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ple can ask for Dawn when they call about that.”

The shop’s décor and gifts are changed to reflect the season.

In January the interior will change from bright holiday colors to sparkling white, then closer to Valentine’s Day it will change again, with another burst of color.

After learning from this year’s Valentine’s Day busyness as a start to her first few weeks, she developed a system for expedience and quick service.

She plans to have five drivers, five designers and three people answering phones.

“Usually people order a week before Valentine’s Day, but it would be great if they would pre-order,” she said.

And she will not raise the price of $90 for a dozen roses, and $99.99 for roses in a vase.

“You will still get a big arrangement for that,” she promises.

Dawn Marshall, owner of Donahoe’s Whimsical Flowers, has long-lasting silk red Poinsettias for Christmas. Courtesy of André Karwath

Dawn has loved working with flowers her whole life. While she was a dental assistant for 30 years, she always arranged flowers with the altar guilds for her church, United Methodist Church in Front Royal, and the South River Garden Club.

Over the years she did flower arrangements for friends, and her mom, Peggy Thompson, entered her in flower shows as a child which always won blue ribbons.

But, she said, “When my boss retired, I didn’t know what to do (for work) next.”

She joined Business Network International (BNI) a small business group and started to do flowers at home and worked

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online from a business website she named “Whimsical Flowers

by Dawn.”

When asked by colleagues on the BNI group, what she wanted, she said she wanted to own Donahoe’s Florists. The idea of whimsy came from talking to friends as they were trying to describe her personality. They came up with the word “whimsical.” And the name Donahoe’s Whimsical Flowers was born.

“I’m only the fourth owner of Donahoe’s. I have big shoes to fill. Jean Rudacille was here for 20 years before me,” she said.

So far, the business has been celebrated with a Christmas Open House, and for all of November everything was 10 percent off the normal price.

Coming up on December 23rd and on Christmas Eve, there will be a markdown of 10 percent on in-stock items. This does not include fresh arrangements.

From now until Christmas fresh wreaths are 10 percent off.

Donahoe’s Whimsical Flowers is located at 205 S. Royal Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630.

Call (540) 635-2815, email Dawn@DonahoesWhimsicalFlowers.com, or visit www.donahoeswhimsicalflowers.com – carol@areaguides.com

Front Royal teen solos in hot air balloon Page 8 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Front Royal teen Virginia Waddell has become one of the few to solo in a hot air balloon, and one of the first--perhaps the first--to do so while part of an AFJROTC program and subsequently receive authorization to wear a solo flight pin on her AFJROTC uniform. Photo by Reed Basley.

In August 2019, Virginia Waddell of Front Royal flew her first solo flight in a balloon, placing her on track to earn her pilot certification and become one of only 5,000 balloon pilots in the US. As if that weren’t enough to make her stand out among her

high school peers, the Randolph-Macon Academy senior also made a bit of history, as she became what just might be the first Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) student to solo in a balloon. While AFJROTC Headquarters could not con-

firm that, they also couldn’t find passed that love of ballooning loon pilot has to gain altitude a record of an AFJROTC stu- onto his daughter. again. dent accomplishing a balloon “I like that it’s different. It just In spite of those challenges solo before. makes you unique from a lot however, ballooning can be a Randolph-Macon Academy of people,” Virginia said. “Go- money-earning business--once has a flight program that fo- ing up there, for the most part, you get past the expense of cuses on powered flight and it’s rather quiet. I don’t want taking lessons and purchasing drones, and having students to say it’s a feeling of freedom, a balloon, of course. Virginia’s solo in a school-owned Cessna because that’s such a cliche...it’s parents used the supplemen172 is something that typically just really cool. It’s different.” tal income to invest in a prihappens several times each Virginia also sees it as her re- vate school education for their school year. Those students are sponsibility to learn the craft daughter. Virginia even has a then given a “wing” pin to wear and pass it on to others. “It’s potential job offer as a pilot, on their AFJROTC uniform, in- kind of a dying thing, which is a from a real estate company, forming their peers of their ac- shame,” she said. “I don’t want it once she obtains her comcomplishment. When Virginia to die off.” mercial pilot certification (an accomplished her first balloon It might be surprising that achievement she hopes will solo on August 25th, her father, ballooning is a dying form of come to pass in the summer Paul Waddell, obtained a wing flight, but it comes with chal- of 2020). And there is nothing pin that had a balloon in the lenges. It is completely weath- like the peace of floating quietly center--all the way back from er-dependent, making flights over the ground, or the chalpossible only on the best days. lenge of adjusting the flame to World War II. With a work by both Paul and A balloon is subject to the control your altitude. It’s the R-MA’s Senior Aerospace Sci- whimsy of the wind, and slower oldest type of flying in the hisence Instructor, Col Joel Jones, than a glider or powered air- tory of mankind, and this speUSAF, Retired, AFJROTC craft. In addition, ballooning cial young lady is now a key part Headquarters approved the pin is a form of flying that takes a of its future. for Virginia to wear on her uni- collaborative effort. The pilot in the balloon has a radio to comform.

“It’s nice to be recognized for municate with a one- to- twodoing something unusual, that person crew in a ground vehicle some people consider scary,” that is “chasing” the balloon. said Virginia. “When I’m wear- When it is time to land, it is the ing it, people ask questions. It’s ground crew’s responsibility to find a field and obtain the owna good conversation starter.”

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OPINION Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 9

Warren

County Report

Warren/Frederick County Report P.O. Box 500 Front Royal, VA 22630

Member Virginia Press Association Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Daniel P. McDermott editor@warrencountyreport.com General Counsel: Georgia Rossiter, Esquire (540) 535-2001 Managing Editor Carol Ballard: carol@areaguides.com (540) 551-0644 Copy Editor: Laura Biondi editor@warrencountyreport.com Government Reporter: Tim Ratigan: tim@areaguides.com Advertising Sales Manager: Alison Duvall: (540) 551-2072 alisond@warrencountyreport.com Billing Coordinator: Pam Cole billing@warrencountyreport.com Graphic Design & Layout: layout@warrencountyreport.com

The true light of the world has come...

EDITOR: The Christian church year begins with the Advent of Our Lord, the four weeks of getting ready for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. Advent is a time of joyful preparation for the wonderful time when the Son of God came to earth to live as a person among the people.

The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.”

The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in His First Advent and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in His Second Advent.

The Christian Christmas is a brief season (twelve days), beginning on Christmas Day, December 25, and continuing through January 5, celebrating the Name of Jesus which is the eve of Epiphany. Christmas is a season of thankfulness for the goodness of God. The purpose of Jesus Christ’s birth was to save us from our sins, to reveal the Father to us and lead us to Him and to reveal the Kingdom of God so that we can live according to God’s Way. Jesus came to reconcile us to God so that we can have eternal life. “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’

or ‘There it is!’ For in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

(Luke 17: 20-21) Our Christian desire is to turn the eyes of all men and women upon the true Creator and Christ of Christmas. The true light of the world has come. The Christmas season and celebration presents the Church with an outstanding opportunity to preach the good news; that men can be made righteous and have peace with God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas and God bless us, every one!

Mark P. Gunderman Stephens City, VA Cline Remarks During Floor Debate on Articles of Impeachment “Madam Speaker, “Today is a sad day for this body, for the voters who sent me here last November, and for our Nation.

“Benjamin Franklin cautioned when asked what he had given us, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Today we take a step further toward losing the Republic that our Founding Fathers envisioned by engaging in activity that they specifically warned against - the misuse of the Constitutional power of impeachment for one party’s political gain.

“Our Constitution is the very foundation of our Republic. Its

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assurance of self-determination has been the shining beacon by which our Nation has chartered its course over the last two centuries. From a new democratic experiment struggling to survive to the greatest Nation on Earth, America has been powered over the years - not by Government but by the ingenuity, the bravery, and the faith of its people, confident in their place as one Nation, under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

“And so it is “We the People” who determine our President, not “We the Judiciary Committee,” or “We the Congress.” The Constitution is clear - it is only when we see clear proof of the impeachable offenses outlined in Article II, Section 4 - treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors - that we are to challenge the decision of the voters, break the figurative glass, and pull the emergency rip-cord that is impeachment. We do not have that proof today.

“Thomas Jefferson said, “I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion,

the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.”

“But rather than educate, this majority has chosen today to obfuscate with hearsay, innuendo, and speculation.

“And when history looks back on this shameful period for this House, it will judge it for what it truly is - the ugly hijacking by the Majority of our Constitution and the powers it so solemnly entrusts to us to engage in a blatantly political process designed to finally achieve what they could not achieve at the ballot box: the removal of a duly elected president.

“Compelled by my sworn duty to uphold this Constitution and for the people, I vote no on impeachment today.

“I yield back.”

Congressman Ben Cline was sworn in as the new Congressman for the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia in January of 2019. He was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates prior to his election last November. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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Page 10 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Warren County citizens join fight for Second Amendment rights

The Warren County Board of Supervisors hold a special meeting at the Warren County High School to hear public comments regarding the proposed resolution on Warren County becoming a Second Amendment Sanctuary County.

By Timothy Ratigan Warren/Frederick County Report Immediately following the last November election, conservatives across the Commonwealth began organizing in defense of what they saw as the coming attack against their second amendment rights.

It didn’t take long before County Supervisors’ boards in Republican controlled counties began to have themselves declared Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties and the Shenandoah Valley witnessed the Shenandoah County Government Center overwhelmed with county residents during a Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting.

The crowd grew to well over thousand and spilled over into the parking lot of the Government Center.

In Warren County, Shenandoah Voting District Supervisor Tom Sayre wasted no time in requesting that a resolution to declare Warren County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County be placed on the Warren County Board of Supervisors’ 9:00 a.m. December 10th meeting agenda.

Almost immediately, protests began to pour in with complains about the time of the meeting. Since it was the first scheduled meeting of the month, it is normally scheduled for the morning. It didn’t

take long before the Board of Supervisor members changed both the time and location of the meeting.

The meeting was still held on December 10th, but the time had changed to 7:00 p.m. and

Warren County Resident Robert Hupman approaches the podium in front of Warren County’s Supervisors to speak in favor of the proposed Second Amendment Resolution.

the location was changed to the auditorium of the Warren County High School in order to accommodate the expected

large crowd.

In the weeks leading up to the December 10th BOS meeting, members of the com-

munity worked hard to collect signatures on a petition to present to them that showed that the citizens of Warren

Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 11

County were taking what they perceived as a threat to their Second Amendment rights seriously.

Braving the cold temperatures, members of the community gathered at the Main Street Gazebo area to hold signs and collect signatures for their cause. A rally support-

ing the Second Amendment Rights was held the day prior to the Warren County Board of Supervisors’ special meeting.

Warren County resident Ross McVey opened the rally by wishing everyone a happy holiday season, making sure he named all the holidays that

are celebrated during this time of the year.

“Quite frankly, this is my first time speaking in a public setting such as this. I appreciate all the citizens coming out here. Because we are American citizens, we are going to open up this with probably one of the first things to remind us

about that, and that is going to be the pledge of allegiance,” he began.

After the pledge was recited the gathered crowd was led in prayer. After the prayer, speakers began to come forward. Rally organizer McVey also thanked the groups that helped him organize the rally.

One of the groups that rendered assistance was the Warren County Republican Committee under the leadership of Chairman Steven Kurtz.

One of the first speakers was the Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Dan Murray, who began, “It is good to see like-minded brothers and sisters standing here tonight. This Second Amendment means a lot to me, my grandson who has served nine deployments in the last 12 and a half years, to my two family members buried at Arlington National Cemetery and to my best friend whose name is

etched in a granite wall.

“We need to defend – the Veterans out here, think about your oath! That oath is something you carry for life! Not just when you wear a uniform.

Raise your hands and promise that you will live for that oath that you took. I took my oath and I brought my separation papers here tonight. I took my oath in 1966 on May the 10th and 29 years later I separated but I still exercise my right to carry! I have it on my hip right now.

“When I chair the Board of Supervisors meetings I sit at the dais with my gun because you never know what nut is out there and you have a right to defend ourselves and if we give up the right to defend ourselves, we are fools! Our country is being attacked from within. Not from without.

From within and it is because See FREEDOM, 12

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More than 1,000 county residents meet at the Warren County High School to voice their support or disagreement with the proposed Second Amendment Resolution.

FREEDOM, from 11

we are too quiet.

“We are like, ‘I’m comfortable, I’ve got a TV show to watch, the Eagles are playing today.’ Throw that stuff away, I don’t watch the ball games since they took a knee and I’ll never watch one until they stand!” Murray said.

Murray closed his remarks by asking his brothers and sisters in arms to raise their hands as he recited a prayer.

Lord bless these heroes; they are alive and amongst us. Let them support and defend and change this country, let’s get away from the hypocrisies that we live with and the internal fighting amongst ourselves, and let us live as brothers and sisters proud, standing tall, flying the flag from your homes and never be ashamed to say that you serve the United States of America! God bless you!” he finished.

One of the next speakers was House of Delegates member from the 18th District,

Michael Webert. Webert has served the 18th District for the last eight years.

“For the last eight years I have sat on the front lines. I sat as I watched year after year as folks come and try to take our right to defend ourselves in the name of safety. In the name of everything else they can think of. Most don’t realize that out in rural Virginia the nearest sheriff ’s deputy is 15 to 40 minutes away at best. I’m sorry, but if someone is trying to enter my home, they will be met with superior fire power and it is my right to be able to defend my home as I see fit.

“Think about this. The Virginia House of Delegates that I sit in is over 400 years old.

I walk into the same building that Thomas Jefferson designed. The Virginia Constitution makes it very explicit that it is the right for the individual to be able to arm themselves and that shall not be infringed.

I am here to thank you for peaceably assembling, as is

our God-given right, to petition our government with our grievances. And our grievance right now is that one party is going to put forward legislation that will inhibit our

right to protect ourselves, our children, our wives, and our husbands. So, I commend you, I commend you for not rioting in the streets when someone gets elected. I commend you

for contacting your board of supervisors and for sending us e-mails and for telling us what we need to do. And I am here to pledge to you as I have for the last eight years, I will con-

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tinue to defend your right protect yourselves and I will continue to defend your liberties and your freedom.

“That what you elected me to do. And very much like the veterans here I too took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution and the Virginia Constitution both of

which makes is explicitly clear that our right to bear arms shall not be infringed upon,” Weber concluded.

Also speaking at the rally was Warren County’s newly elected Commonwealth Attorney John Bell, “In Virginia I am the chief law enforcement officer in the county. My office

is where the rubber meets the road on the enforcement of laws. I have some remarks but before I get to those, I want to read something from my own delegate, Delegate Todd Gilbert.

“This letter was written to the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors and it reads,

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‘Dear Sirs, I write to you today in support of the strong and meaningful resolution to help protect the Second Amendment Rights of our shared constituents. Law abiding gun owners are rightfully frightened and angry about current proposed legislation that would, among other things, make them chose between giving up many of their lawfully purchased commonly owned and constitutionally protected firearms and accessories or being considered a criminal.

‘While the counties might be limited in their abilities to pass ordinances that conflict with state law this issue is not ultimately a state issue. Fundamentally this is a Constitutional issue and the law-abiding citizens are asking you to stand with them and effectively remind the state that it is too limited in their authority when it comes to violating a constitutionally protected individual right. Furthermore, they are asking you to do everything within your power to symbolically reject any constitutional overreach which would infringe upon their rights to protect themselves and their families as they see fit.’”

Bell went on to add some comments of his own, “When I ran for this office, I publicly took a pledge that I would stand between the law-abiding citizens of Warren County and enforcement of any unconstitutional overreaching gun laws. I know this is the choir and I am preaching to the choir. But there are some proposals in front of the current General Assembly that go further than anything else that we’ve seen anywhere. I am drawing your attention to State

Senate Bill #16, which has the most all-encompassing definition of an assault weapon that anyone has ever seen. A center fire pistol that holds more than 10 rounds is an assault weapon under Senate Bill #16.

“You thought that an assault weapon was any of the big scary looking black guns, no, it is almost any firearm in your gun safe, in your house or in your car. We are counting on folks like Mike Webert, Todd Gilbert and Chris Collins to be a strong voice in the General Assembly. I am counting on them because this is an issue that I plan on sticking my neck out on. I am glad to hear that the Warren County Board of Supervisors has a consensus in favor of their resolution.

“Because I promise you there will be push back on this if bills like this are passed. I have been told in meetings with other Commonwealth Attorney’s that there are recall petitions that are already being drafted and ready to serve on those officials who will not enforce these laws if they are passed. I plan on sticking my neck out and that neck may end up over a chopping block.

So tonight, I am asking that you show up tomorrow night when it counts for the Warren County Board of Supervisors special meeting and that you show them your support and that you let them know that the citizens are behind their efforts to protect your liberties,” said Bell.

December 10th, 2019 at the Warren County High School was a cold and rainy night, and a massive crowd of Warren County citizens met in the auditorium.

See FREEDOM, 14

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FREEDOM, from 13

The auditorium, which has a 1,024-seat capacity, was packed with standing room only.

The fire marshal was on hand to ensure that the room was not over packed and to set up an overflow area in the school’s cafeteria. Throughout the crowd there was an overwhelming message that those present wanted the gathered press and supervisors to see and to understand. That message? “Guns Save Lives.”

This was shown by circular bright hunter’s orange stickers with that message clearly displayed. Even though the crowd both inside and outside the auditorium had swollen to well over a thousand county residents, 45 residents of Warren County rose to address the both the supervisors and the gathered crowd and members of the press.

All the members of the board were present with the exception of Happy Creek District Supervisor Tony Carter who was absent due to a family health situation that he had to address but it didn’t stop him from voting through a remote device.

One of the messages given over the course of the evening was a quote presented by Kurtz as he read from a statement from Sixth District Freshman Congressman Ben Kline.

“Your God-given liberties can’t be taken by men,” the quote read.

County citizens who were against the resolution had an opportunity to address the board.

Democratic Committee Chairman Steven Foreman urged caution to the super-

visors by warning that they could be putting themselves in another position of causing a similar situation to the historic Massive Resistance that took place in the 1960’s. This stemmed from the Civil Rights legislation that eventually led to the desegregation of Virginia’s public schools.

Throughout Foreman’s comments he was booed and hooted at. County resident Kenneth Logan apologized for the crowd’s behavior when he spoke later.

One of the primary concerns voiced over and over again during the public hearing was the fear that legal gun owners today could find themselves labeled as felons in the near future if the proposed gun laws that included the “assault firearms” were enacted.

There were several calls that a well-regulated militia that is referenced in the Second Amendment be created if nec-

A trio of county residents stand before the Warren County Board of Supervisors to voice their support for the proposed Second Amendment Sanctuary County resolution.

essary, for the security of a free state.

In a display of patriotism, a trio of activists approached the podium consisting of one speaker flanked by two flag bearers.

One carried the American flag and the other was the common and popular “Don’t

Tread on Me” flag hailing back from the old “Tea Party” rallies that were held across the nation the days, weeks and months following President Barrack Obama’s election and inauguration.

This drew thunderous applause and cheers from the gathered crowd.

At the end of the three-hour public hearing the supervisors voted on the Second Amendment Resolution and it passed on a 5-0 vote, making Warren another in a long list of Virginia counties that declared themselves a Second Amendment Sanctuary County.

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Citizen scientists discover endangered orchid in Virginia Local citizen scientists working with the Changing Landscapes Initiative and Virginia Working Landscapes, both programs of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), discovered a rare orchid that is nearly extinct in the commonwealth of Virginia. The purple fringeless orchid (Platanthera peramoena) is estimated to have fewer than 1,000 individual plants left in the state.

Patty Lane of Rappahannock County and Kate Heneberry of Warren County found four individual purple fringeless orchids in bloom while conducting a routine orchid survey on a private farm just south of Sper-

ryville, Virginia, July 24.

“I was so elated to find this huge purple orchid, I wanted to do cartwheels in the marsh,” Lane said.

Lane and Heneberry had finished their mid-July survey and were leaving their site when they noticed a purple flower in a pasture. After investigating, they identified the plant as a rare orchid; their rare find was confirmed by experts at Shenandoah National Park.

“I knew when it caught my eye that it was something I had never seen before,” Heneberry said. “It was totally exciting to identify it as an orchid—and then to learn it was rare!”

Citizen scientists are conducting orchid surveys with the Changing Landscapes Initiative and Virginia Working Landscapes as part of a pilot study in collaboration with the North American Orchid Conservation Center, which includes scientists from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Led by Iara Lacher, head of the Changing Landscapes Initiative, these three Smithsonian programs are exploring the potential for orchid species diversity and abundance to serve as an indicator of forest health.

“Findings like this illustrate the importance of field work in conservation,” Lacher said. “We

oy j h it w d le l fi n so a se y Wishing you a holida

s y a d i l o Happy H from all of us at

e v ti a r e p o o C c i r t c e l Rappahannock E

An endangered purple fringeless orchid discovered on a private farm in Virginia July 24 by citizen scientists. Photo: Courtesy of October Greenfield

need to know where species are and how they are faring in order to understand how human activity shapes their future.

Furthermore, finding a rare species garners interest for our greater work—the conservation of species and ecosystems is important for the health of both people and wildlife.”

The 20 citizen scientists who volunteered to assist with the orchid surveys underwent training to help them identify some of the 64 species of orchid native to Virginia, 34 of which are considered imperiled or vulnerable due to their rarity.

“It’s the first of these rare orchids we’ve found through our surveys, so it’s a big moment for our new project and for our volunteers,” said Joe Guthrie, who was the field survey coordinator of the orchid project.

Purple fringeless orchids are native to the southeastern and mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Their flowers are pink or purple and they grow in a range of habitats but need

wet soil. The orchids Lane and Heneberry found were growing in a wetland. Purple fringeless orchids are declining throughout their range—where wetlands have disappeared—and are endangered in several states where they are native.

The Changing Landscapes Initiative produces scientifically rigorous, human-centric and relevant information for community leaders planning for the rapidly changing landscape of northwestern Virginia.

Virginia Working Landscapes is a program of SCBI that promotes the conservation of native biodiversity and sustainable land-use through research, education and community engagement. It partners with a network of NGOs, agencies, regional landowners and citizen scientists. The North American Orchid Conservation Center was established by the Smithsonian and the U.S. Botanic Garden to assure the survival of native orchids in the U.S. and Canada.

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Page 16 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Shenandoah River State Park

treats are provided by the park’s Friends group.

Shenandoah River State Park has over 24 miles of trails. Make that “be healthy” resolution for the whole year – and start by putting Jan. 1, 2020 on your calendar now.

First Day Hike

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020 1 p.m. at the Visitor Center ֎ Bentonville, VA off Rte. 340 Join the Friends of Shenandoah River State Park for this annual tradition. Take a half mile hike on the Overlook Trail. This easy trail has gorgeous views of the river. Longer hikes are available and use the same starting time and location. Children and leashed pets are welcome. Over 200 two-legged hikers, and dozens of four-legged, celebrated the New Year with us in 2019. That was the largest ever 1st day hike at Shenandoah River State Park. Help us break the record in 2020.

Join us for our annual First Day Hike through Shenandoah River State Park at 1 pm Wednesday January 1, 2020 at the Visitor Center in Bentonville, VA off Rte. 340.

Join the Friends of Shenandoah River State Park for this annual tradition. Take a half mile hike on the Overlook Trail. This easy trail has gorgeous views of the river. Longer hikes are available and use the same starting time and location. Children and leashed pets are welcome.

Over 200 two-legged hikers, and dozens of four-legged, celebrated the New Year with us in 2019. That was the largest ever 1st day hike at Shenandoah River State Park. Help us break the record in 2020.

Cider, hot chocolate, and other

Cider, hot chocolate, and other treats are provided by the park’s Friends group.

Shenandoah River State Park has over 24 miles of trails. Make that “be healthy” resolution for the whole year – and start by putting Jan. 1, 2020 on your calendar now.

REC Launches Fiber Utility Network Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) has kicked off a sixyear project that will bring benefits to its member-owners for decades.

Known as the Fiber Utility Network, the $30 million investment will not only revolutionize REC’s communications network, but also represents a significant investment in the communities REC serves.

Once complete, the network will add over 800 miles of optical fiber to connect REC’s offices, substations and towers. The first phase included installing 25 miles of fiber in the Culpeper region.

REC’s fiber network will pave the way for the continued modernization of the electric grid. Enhanced communications will allow REC to operate the electric system more rapidly and detect outages faster.

Also, of great interest to many rural member-owners, REC is installing extra fiber that would potentially allow third parties to lease capacity on the REC network that could then enable the extension of high speed Internet and other broadband solutions directly to homes.

“This technology has the potential to make a positive difference for so many of REC’s member-owners, and we couldn’t be more excited to launch this project,” said John Hewa, chief operating officer and vice president of corporate services.

Hewa noted that federal and state agencies have programs de-

signed to support rural broadband projects, “so our timing is ideal.”

The fiber project will upgrade many aspects of REC’s infrastructure, including: • Replacing the 30-year-old microwave communications between each office.

• Supporting business systems REC plans to implement over the next several years.

• Allowing for more comprehensive monitoring and faster detection of problems on the grid.

• Allowing for faster restoration of critical systems in the event of a disaster.

Supporting advanced substation and field communications.

The fiber network will be able to transfer increased bandwidth of information to support electric system operations.

On Dec. 17, the Orange County Broadband Authority (OCBA) approved an agreement between the county and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) to lease capacity across 19 miles of fiber optic cable that REC is installing as a part

of the Cooperative’s new Fiber Utility Network.

Powering the Future: REC Scholarship Funds Available Since 1996, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) has been powering the future with the Community Scholarship. Each year, local students who are seeking to advance their career goals by attending college or a trade school are encouraged to apply.

In 2020, 15 local students will be chosen to receive a $1,000 scholarship and two will be chosen to receive a $2,500 scholarship to help them in the pursuit of higher education. The applicant’s parent or guardian must be a REC memberowner. There are three categories a student can apply to: students currently enrolled in a college, a high school senior planning to attend college, or a student planning to attend a trade school in 2020.

“REC is more than your local energy provider,” said Brian Wolfe, senior public relations special-

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ist. “It’s important that REC is actively involved in supporting local communities and the Community Scholarship is a great way to help our youth.”

Applications are due January

27, 2020 and can be accessed from REC’s website. Recipients will be notified in March 2020. If you have any questions, contact Brian Wolfe at 1-800-552-3904, ext. 5914 or communityscholarship@myrec.

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Road closure: Duck Street The Town of Front Royal Water & Sewer department will be installing utility lines on W. Duck St for new dwellings on January 2, 2020 from 7:30am to 3:30pm. In case of bad weather, January 3, 2020 will be the rain date. Duck Street will be closed from Forrest Hill Drive to the first VDOT entrance. Residents in Hensel Stone Subdivision will be detoured up Forrest Hill Drive.

Detour signs will be in place.

Motorists are asked to use caution while driving in this area and be aware of signs and crews working.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Public Works 540-635-7819.

Updated road closure: Kerfoot Avenue The Town of Front Royal Streets Department will be installing two (2) raised crosswalks on Kerfoot Avenue for safety improvements near the skate park and soccer fields at 114 and 138 Kerfoot Avenue. Installation of each crosswalk will take 1 week; therefore, this will be a continuous road closure on Kerfoot Avenue between Salem Avenue & W. Main Street at 114 and 138 Kerfoot Avenue.

Due to weather conditions and holidays, work will begin December 16, 2019 at 7am through De-

cember 20, 2019 at 3pm and January 6, 2020 at 7am through January 10, 2020 at 3pm. (Weather Permitting) Residents will be able to get out but there will be no through traffic. They will install one crosswalk at a time and allowing 1 week per crosswalk. *There will be no road closures during the weekend.* Crews will be working in the area between 7am and 3pm and will be pouring concrete and leave overnight to cure. Signs will be in place.

Motorists are asked to use caution while driving in this area and be aware of crews working and the continuous road closure.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call Public Works at 540-635-7819, Monday through Friday 7am-3:30pm.

United Way Donates $3,100 To The Laurel Center The United Way of Front RoyalWarren County is pleased to announce a grant in the amount of $3,100 to The Laurel Center (216 E. Main Street, Front Royal, VA 22630) for the 2019-20 fiscal year.

This is the second year in a row that this grant has been made, and many positive results have been seen already.

In the First Quarter, The Laurel Center has provided occupancy for 57 people. Additionally, the organization has been able to offer Sexual Assault Adult Therapy Services one day per week in Front Royal. Also in the First Quarter, The Laurel Center was able to offer 32 days of shelter to one adult and one child in Front Royal.

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The agency consistently seeks to collaborate with other agencies.

For example, staff members attended Sexual Assault Response Training during the quarter. They also partnered with New Hope Bible Church to offer training in women’s health, and Marlow Heights Baptist Church for training in child safety.

As a result of all their hard work, The Laurel Center was awarded the Multiple Discipline Team of the Year on July 15th of this year.

This award recognized the agency for their efforts in keeping children safe. This prestigious award is given each year by the Department of Criminal Justice Services in collaboration with Law Enforcement.

Since 1950, the United Way has worked to advance the common good in Front Royal-Warren County. The community wins when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable, and when people are healthy. The United Way’s goal is to create longlasting change by addressing the underlying causes of the challenges we face. Living United means being part of the change!

To reach the United Way offices in Front Royal-Warren County (134-B Peyton Street, Front Royal, VA, 22630), please email info@ frontroyalunitedway.org or call 540-635-3636.

Community Events Want to shop local for the Holidays? Visit our 5th Annual Holiday Pottery, Ceramic and Art Show at Explore Art & Clay! Showcasing all the amazing artists of the area! Pieces ranging from mugs, paintings, bowls, cards, and so much more! Opening reception on December 8th, 1-5 p.m. running through January 3rd. 100 East 8th Street, Front Royal, VA 22630.

The 34th Annual WINCFM Chain of Checks campaign is gearing up for the big ‘Match-Day Radiothon’ on Thursday, December 19th and Friday, December 20th where $20,000 can turn into $40,000! This year, the Chain of Checks theme is “Headed Home: A Journey Out of Homelessness” and the campaign will raise funds for the Winchester Rescue Mission and The Evans Home For Children.

For information, visit www.winc.

See BRIEFS, 18

Page 18 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

BRIEFS, from 17

fm or contact Tammy Stevenson at (540) 667-2224, ext. 258. Chain of Checks is a proud partner of the Community Foundation of Northern Shenandoah Valley.

Virginia town settles lawsuit over business permit for tarot card reader A local business owner in the Town of Richlands can now read Tarot cards under a business permit issued as part of a settlement in a lawsuit the ACLU of Virginia brought against the town on his behalf.

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia approved the settlement last week, in which the town agreed not to discriminate against Tarot readers like Mark Mullins, owner of Mountain Magic and Tarot Reading. The town had repeatedly denied Mr. Mullins a business license and zoning permit in 2017 and 2018 and declined to amend the town’s zoning ordinance to allow Tarot shops. The result was an effective ban on the operation of Tarot shops or fortune tellers in Richlands.

“The settlement is a win for Mark Mullins and the First Amendment,” said ACLU-VA Senior Staff Attorney Vishal Agraharkar. “Freedom of speech and religion apply to everyone, not just those with favored views or adherents of mainstream religions.”

The ACLU-VA filed its federal lawsuit in 2018, alleging the town had engaged in content- and viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution; that its licensing scheme provided town officials with such unbridled discretion that it amounted to an unconstitutional prior restraint on Mullins’ speech; that it violated his right to free exercise of religion and right not to be discriminated against on the basis of his religion; and his right to equal protection under the law.

Under the settlement agreement, officials agreed to amend the town zoning ordinance to allow for Tarot reading and similar practices on equal terms as other types of businesses. The town granted Mullins a license and zoning permit that allow him to read Tarot as part

of his business and agreed not to place any additional restrictions on his ability to advertise his services.

Mullins also received a monetary settlement as part of the lawsuit.

A federal court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement in the event the town doesn’t keep its promises.

“Localities may not ban speech or religious practices that their officials or town residents find unconventional or unsavory, nor can they impose onerous land use restrictions that prevent businesses or religious institutions that engage in such speech a reasonable opportunity to open and operate,” Agraharkar said.

The imported fire ant is not native to the United States and is known for its aggressive behavior and ferocious sting. Once established, the imported fire ant has the potential to spread to uninfested areas, either through natural means or through the movement of infested articles (artificial spread).

Under the terms of the quarantine, articles that are capable of transporting the imported fire ant (regulated articles) are prohibited from moving out of the quarantined area unless certified as free of imported fire ant. Regulated articles include, but are not limited to: • Any life stage of imported fire ant • Soil, except soil shipped in original containers after commercial preparation • Plants with roots with soil attached and rhizomes with soil attached • Grass sod • Used soil-moving equipment unless free of all non-compacted soil • Used farm equipment, unless free of all non-compacted soil • Hay and straw stored in direct contact with the ground • Honey bee hives stored in direct contact with the ground • Logs and pulpwood with soil attached Individuals who plan to move regulated articles out of the quarantined area should contact VDACS’ Office of Plant Industry Services to determine options for certifying regulated articles as free of imported fire ants.

With the recent expansion, Virginia’s Imported Fire Ant Quarantine now includes the counties of Brunswick, Greensville, Isle of Wight, James City, Mecklenburg, Southampton, and York and the independent cities of Chesapeake, Emporia, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg.

Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Expands The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced Dec 5 that Virginia’s Imported Fire Ant Quarantine has been expanded to include the counties of Brunswick, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Mecklenburg and Southampton and the independent cities of Emporia and Franklin. Expansion of the quarantine became necessary after survey data indicated that imported fire ant populations were widespread in these localities.

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Basic Firearms Safety Class The Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office will provide to the public a free basic firearms safety course.

The 2 hour course will cover basic operation of firearms; dismantling, cleaning, and reassembling of firearms; and federal and state laws pertaining to firearms. The firearms instructors are certified through Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services, so the class will meet the requirements of Virginia Code §18.2-308.02(B) for obtaining a concealed handgun permit.

The classes will be held at the Frederick County Public Safety Building at 1080 Coverstone Drive with classes limited to 25 adults per class. Pre-registration is required, and students may bring an

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Warren Heritage Society

FREE ADMISSION: Ivy Lodge Museum & Gift Shop Monday-Saturday from 10 AM–4 PM • Open Until January 1 Historic Homes Open April 1 - December 31 BELLE BOYD COTTAGE Civil War home of Confederate spy Belle Boyd BALTHIS HOUSE The oldest house on the oldest street in Front Royal TICKETS: Adults $10 • 18 and under FREE

Laura Virginia Hale Archives Monday-Friday - 10 AM–4 PM

Warren Heritage Society, Inc. A private 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation

101 Chester Street, Front Royal, VA 22630 (540) 636-1446 www.warrenheritagesociety.org

Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 19

unloaded firearm to the class. The first classes of 2020 will be held on January 13, 2020 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., January 21, 2020 from 6:308:30 p.m., and January 25, 2020 from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Please contact Captain Aleck Beeman via email (abeeman@fcva. us) or telephone (540-504-6508) to register for the class.

8am Location: 1st Church of the Nazarene, 181 Nazarene Drive Winchester, VA 22601 To sign up for this class, please email Pastor David Kessell at pastordave@w1naz.org This class will be limited to 150 participants.

“REC’s Concern for Community means a lot to me as both an employee and member of the local community,” said Michelle Wells, REC member service representative. “It shows that REC is not always straight business, but that the Cooperative cares for me, my family, neighbors, and my community at large.”

Civilian Response Causality Care Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office and Frederick County Fire & Rescue partner to instruct “Civilian Response Causality Care (C.R.C.C.)”.

This free 4-hour course combines the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) course with Stop the Bleed.

The CRASE course was developed by ALERRT, which provides strategies, guidance, and a proven plan for surviving an active threat attack.

The Stop the Bleed course is a national awareness campaign and a call to action. Participants are trained and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.

Participants of Civilian Response Causality Care training will receive instruction on many important topics such as: Avoid, Deny, Defend strategy Disaster and stress response How to assist responding law enforcement Limit causalities Identify source of bleeding Learn basic life-saving interventions including bleeding control with direct pressure, gauze packs and a tourniquet, as well as how to pack a wound Safety tips Date / Time: February 29, 2020 @

Update to previous request for information: REC Employees Help ‘Throw Hunger Under the Bus’ Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) employees fully embody the cooperative principles, especially concern for the community. This was clearly evident on Nov. 21 when REC employees donated to the Camping for Hunger food drive in Front Royal.

“As an electric cooperative, we are owned by the communities we serve,” explained Jeff Hinson, director of Member Services and Community Relations in REC’s Front Royal office. “We care about the people in the communities REC serves and we want to help them out however we can.”

The majority of REC’s donation was made possible through the employee charity, Project Big Heart.

Employees generous donations through the year were used to shop for food, stuff REC’s Power of Community van, and drop off the food donation to help throw hunger under the bus. Food and monetary donations made by REC, and the community-at-large, help C-CAP provide emergency financial support, clothing and food assistance to families in need in the town of Front Royal and Warren County.

In reference to the Dec. 2, 2019 incident at Digs Landing, the remains have been identified in this case as Tristen Ryan Brinklow, a 20 year old male who was a resident of Warren County. This was accomplished with the assistance of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Department of Forensic Science. Next of kin in this case has been notified. Further details in the matter are not being released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information about Mr. Brinklow or the incident at Digs Landing is asked to contact Investigator Emily Young of the Warren County Sheriff ’s Office at 540-635-4128 or at invyoung@ warrencountysheriff.org. Citizens can also utilize the Warren County Sheriff ’s Office website to submit a Please let tip by going to www.warrencountysheriff.org. Anyone with information can remain anonymous.

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It Is the First Step in Preserving Tissues Long-term Without Freezing Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) have preserved complex

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Pei-Chih Lee, reproductive biologist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, dehydrating domestic cat ovarian tissue for storage above freezing temperatures.

Pierre Comizzoli/Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

ovarian tissues in domestic cats above freezing temperatures by dehydrating them with the help of microwaves. Over the past five years, scientists have been able to successfully dehydrate single cells, such as sperm cells or germinal vesicles (oocytes’ nuclei), but this is the first time it has been done in ovarian tissues, which contain thousands of different cells with various functions, including eggs at the early developmental stage.

The findings were published Dec. 4 in PLOS ONE and could provide better options for fertility preservation of human cancer patients or endangered wildlife.

“It took several years of research, but we are very excited by these encouraging results,” said Pei-Chih Lee, reproductive biologist at SCBI and lead author of the paper. “Of course there is room for improvement, nonetheless this is the first step toward a more economical way of preserving live tissues without the need of liquid nitrogen.”

Researchers adapted the concept from invertebrate species that survive dry conditions or drought by producing trehalose in their cells.

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BRIEFS, from 19

Trehalose is a natural sugar that forms a stable and protective glass within and around the cells when water content gets very low. Mammalian tissues do not have the same capacity, therefore researchers ‘infused’ the tissues with a solution of trehalose. Once they made sure that trehalose had permeated the cells, scientists then progressively removed water from the tissue samples by microwaving without damaging them. The tissues could then be stored above freezing temperatures at 4 degrees Celsius. Scientists were able to rehydrate the samples by simply adding water back to them. Tissues maintained their structures, DNA integrity and basic functions (including the transcription of the DNA). Ongoing studies are focusing on the tissue resilience and refinement of the technique.

Scientists have been preserving gonadal tissues, sperm, eggs and embryos for decades by freezing them in liquid nitrogen tanks or specialized freezers, then thawing the samples when they want to use

them. However, liquid nitrogen is expensive and needs to be replenished regularly. If samples were dried and stored at room temperatures, many more scientists around the world could easily preserve reproductive tissues of endangered animal species. Those tissues could be used to produce gametes and create embryos, which would enhance the maintenance of genetic diversity in very small populations.

The more genetic diversity is retained in a species the healthier and more resistant to diseases it is and less likely it is to go extinct.

The findings also could also one day help human cancer patients.

Female cancer patients could store their own dehydrated ovarian tissues while they are receiving treatment (much more convenient and less expensive than frozen storage) and subsequently use those tissues for procedures like in vitro fertilization after cancer treatment.

“This is a breakthrough,” said Pierre Comizzoli, reproductive biologist at SCBI and senior author of the paper. “This proves that dehydrating living tissues for long-term

storage at ambient temperatures is possible; it is not science fiction.”

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute plays a leading role in the Smithsonian’s global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists. SCBI spearheads research programs at its headquarters in Front Royal, Virginia, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and at field research stations and training sites worldwide. SCBI scientists tackle some of today’s most complex conservation challenges by applying and sharing what they learn about animal behavior and reproduction, ecology, genetics, migration and conservation sustainability.

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Former Officer Manger Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

Amy Jo Hansen Stole More Than $200,000 from Firstline Safety Management The former officer manager of a Winchester-based company that provides safety services to construction companies, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg for stealing more than $200,000 during her employment. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring made the announcement.

Amy Jo Hansen, 44, of Inwood, West Virginia, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of wire fraud.

At sentencing, Hansen faces up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“Unfortunately, theft by trusted employees is more common than most people realize,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “Where these type of embezzlement schemes involve the use of the mail, the internet, or other forms of electronic communication, they become federal crimes, and we will prosecute

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Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 21

them.”

“So called ‘white collar’ crime is still crime and we will make sure that people who break the law like this are held accountable,” said Attorney General Herring.

According to court documents, Hansen was employed by Firstline Safety Management from 2001 until her termination in November 2018. During her tenure, Hansen worked as the office manager for more than 10 years. Her duties in that capacity included, but were not limited to, managing the office, ordering supplies, downloading credit card statements, coding purchasing for bookkeeping purposes, and sending invoices to another employee responsible for payroll and accounting.

At relevant times, Firstline utilized three access devices for the purchase of supplies and other work products. Hansen made numerous unauthorized, personal purchases on these devices. Initially, she submitted the credit card statements containing the unauthorized purchases to the company with the unauthorized purchases either miscoded to make them appear authorized or not coded at all.

Beginning in approximately January 2016, Hansen began altering credit card billing statements containing unauthorized purchases, using the edit function on Adobe

software to modify the statements to falsely inflate charges from a vendor or create a nonexistent vendor charge, in order to cover up Hansen’s personal charges. The fraudulent charges increased throughout 2016, and by 2017 regularly involved unauthorized purchases of thousands of dollars a month.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Office of the Virginia Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case for the United States.

Winchester Man Sentenced for Armed Hobbs Act Robbery of Martin’s Food Pharmacy Carl Morris II Robbed Winchester Pharmacy in January 2019; Discharged a Firearm during the Incident A Winchester man, who in January 2019 committed an armed robbery at Martin’s Food in Winchester, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to 138 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to a pair of related federal charges. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Special Agent in Charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF] Washington Field Division Ashan M. Benedict made the announcement today.

Carl William Morris, 44, who pleaded guilty in August 2019 to one count of Armed, Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, was also ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, on January 18, 2019, Morris approached a pharmacy clerk at the cash register at Martin’s Food on Gateway Drive in Winchester.

While the clerk was ringing up a purchase, Morris pulled a black handgun from his waistband and directed the clerk to “give me all your pain meds.” The clerk complied with Morris’ demand and handed over multiple bottles of controlled substances, including Oxycontin valued at over $2,000.

The defendant took four bottles of the medication and fled the store.

A second pharmacy clerk followed Morris out of the store and into the parking lot. Upon seeing the second clerk, Morris discharged his firearm in the clerk’s direction.

The bullet did not strike the clerk.

After firing his weapon, Morris fled into a nearby wooded area where he was tracked by a police canine officer and ultimately apprehended by law enforcement.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Ex-

plosives and the Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeb Terrien is prosecuting the case for the United States.

George Lee Good, 28

Front Royal man charged in shooting On November 27, 2019, at approximately 11:55 pm, the Front Royal Police Department responded to a report of a shooting in the 200 block of Cloud Street. When Officers arrived on scene, they encountered a male subject with nonlife-threatening injuries, including a gunshot wound to his inner thigh.

Based on investigative findings, a suspect was identified as George

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Lee Good, 28 of Front Royal. Warrants were obtained on Good for 18.2-51 Maliciously Shoot or Wound; 18.2-53.1 Use of a Firearm in the commission of a felony; and 18.2-308.2 Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Other charges may be forthcoming regarding other involved individuals.

George Good was taken into custody without incident by Winchester Police Department during a DUI checkpoint. Good is currently at Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center where he is being held without bond. This investigation is on-going and anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective D. L. Fogle at (540)636-2208 or via email dfogle@ frontroyalva.com From Winchester PD: On December 7, 2019 at approximately 1:50 a.m., Winchester police arrested George Lee Good, 28, of Front Royal, VA, for outstanding warrants during a DUI checkpoint held in the 900 block of S. Pleasant Valley Road. Good approached the checkpoint driving a 2015 Mitsubishi passenger car and provided false information to the officers about his identity. After a brief investigation, Good was positively identified.

George Good was taken into custody, without incident, for charges See BRIEFS, 22

Page 22 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

BRIEFS, from 21

surrounding a November 27, 2019 shooting incident in Warren County, VA. A search of Good and his vehicle yielded two firearms and ammunition. An unknown crystallike substance was also located and will be sent to the Forensic Lab for examination. Winchester police placed additional charges against Good for false identification to law enforcement, driving on a suspended license, and being a felon in possession of a weapon. Additional charges surrounding the unknown substance are pending.

Good was transported to the Northwest Regional Adult Deten-

tion Center, where he was held without bond.

Fatal Crash in Warren County Virginia State Trooper A. Eckman in investigating a single-vehi-

cle fatal crash in Warren County.

The crash occurred December 10, 2019 at 5:40 p.m. on Route 522 at 4 tenths of a mile south of Route 604.

A 2001 Ford Expedition was traveling north on Rt. 522, when it ran off of the right side of the roadway, overcorrected ran off of the left side of the roadway, collided with a tree, and caught fire.

The driver of the Ford, a female subject died at the scene. Her remains have been transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for autopsy, examination and positive identification.

The crash remains under investigation.

Serious Crash in Warren County

437-A South Royal Avenue Front Royal, VA 22630

Virginia State Police Trooper

D. Ayers is investigating a threevehicle crash in Warren County.

The crash occurred on December 7, 2019 at 10:53 p.m. on Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) at 100 feet west of Route 651 (Gore Road).

A 2014 Chevy Cruze was traveling west on Rt. 55 when it crossed a double solid yellow line and attempted to pass a westbound 2006 Nissan Murano. The Chevy attempted to avoid an approaching eastbound 2006 Hyundai Sonata and collided with the Nissan.

The impact caused the Chevy and Hyundai to collide head-on.

The driver of the Chevy, Brittney N. White, 20, of Front Royal, Va., suffered serious injuries and was transported to Winchester Medical Center. White was wearing a seatbelt.

A passenger in the Chevy, a 19-year-old female, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was transported to Winchester Medical Center. The female was wearing a seat-belt.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 17-year-old female, of Front Royal, Va. was seriously injured in the crash and was transported to Winchester Medical Center. The female was wearing a seat-belt.

The driver of the Nissan, a 58-year-old male, of Stanley, Va. was uninjured in the crash. The male was wearing a seat-belt.

White was charged with 46.2854 reckless driving passing at a hillcrest.

The crash remains under investigation.

The Virginia State Police were

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Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 23

assisted by the Warren Sheriff ’s Office, and Warren County Fire and Rescue.

West Virginia man faces additional charges after allegedly assaulting two Winchester Police officers during a DUI encounter On December 7, 2019 at ap-

proximately 12:40 a.m., Winchester police arrested Hunter Dylan Hernandez, 25, of Fayetteville, WV following a fight with officers trying to take him into custody for driving under the influence.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m., Hernandez was stopped by officers near the intersection of E. Boscawen Street and N. Cameron Street for driving without headlights and traveling the wrong way on a oneway street. Officers conducted field sobriety tests on Hernandez, who was initially cooperative. However, after being advised he was under arrest for driving under the influence, Hernandez resisted the officers’ attempts to place him in custody. During the several-minute encounter, Hernandez attempted

to flee while punching and shoving the officers. A 2016 Mini Cooper was also damaged during the incident.

Hernandez was charged with driving under the influence, two counts of assault on law enforcement, destruction of property, obstructing justice, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and driving without headlights. He was transported to the Winchester Medical Center where he received treatment for a wrist injury. One officer sustained a shoulder injury, and the other officer received treatment to injuries sustained to his face and hands.

Hernandez was being held without bond.

“Hosting the first high school esports championship in Virginia at Shenandoah University is a tremendous opportunity for both the school and the city of Winchester as we continue to grow esports in the area,” said Director of Esports Joey Gawrysiak, Ph.D. “Students are getting a wonderful opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a live audience while experiencing an esports competition in person. We are excited to be hosting

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this great event and seeing some of the best high school esports students in the state compete.”

This fall, the Virginia High School League (VHSL) offered a one-year esports pilot program to its more than 300 high school members across the commonwealth. Thirtyseven of these schools opted to par ticipate in the program.

Thirty-two high school teams are competing in online esports playSee BRIEFS, 24

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Shenandoah University to host inaugural VHSL Esports Championship More than 40 high school qualifiers in Virginia will compete The first esports championship for the Virginia High School League is being held Saturday, Jan. 18, at Shenandoah University.

The VHSL PlayVS Esports Championship hosted by Shenandoah University runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center on the Winchester campus. More than 40 students are set to compete in Rocket League and League of Legends.

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REC stands out at local Christmas parades

Berryville Parade, left to right: David Koogler, Tim Campbell, Jennifer Cox, Troy Jenkins, Doug Miller, and Jeff Hinson

Front Royal Parade, left to right: Jennifer Cox, Doug Miller, Tim Campbell, Michelle Wells, Jeff Hinson, and Troy Jenkins.

With the bucket truck decked out and Santa caps on, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) stood out in the Berryville Christmas Parade and the Front RoyalWarren County Christmas Parade on Dec. 7!

Jeff Hinson, director of member services and community relations in Blue Ridge; David Koogler, senior vice

president of member services and external affairs; Doug Miller, member service field representative; Jennifer Cox, member service representative; and Michelle Williams, member service representative, represented REC and handed out candy to parade-goers while linemen Troy Jenkins and Tim Campbell drove the bucket truck.

Page 24 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

BRIEFS, from 23

offs in early January. Four teams will advance to the championship to face off in League of Legends, and eight teams will advance in Rocket League.

“We have received a great deal of positive feedback from schools regarding the esports pilot,” said Darrell Wilson, assistant director for activities at VHSL. “Having Shenandoah University step up to support the VHSL and the esports community by hosting a culminating event like this will further help us get a glimpse into what this

BS

program could potentially become and whether the league decides to continue offering esports as a sanctioned academic activity for member schools.”

Semifinal play for League of Legends starts at 10 a.m., and the finals begin at 2 p.m.

Rocket League quarterfinals start at noon, followed by semifinals at 1 p.m. Finals for Rocket League are at 4 p.m.

Attendees can watch the matches on four 70-inch monitors and a large video screen.

Shenandoah’s Twitch channel

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540-975-2313 Hi Stewart, I saw crews putting up a 40 foot telephone pole the other day and wondered how they are made?

– Bill in Front Royal

Ask Stewart

In the United States, telephone (or utility) poles are most frequently made out of Southern pine, red pine, lodgepole pine, Western red cedar and Douglas fir trees. These specific trees are preferred over other species for several reasons. Their trunks grow particularly straight and taper very little from base to tip. The wood from these trees is resistant to rot and has few defects and knots, and they grow

tall enough to sling wire at heights appropriate for housing and other buildings.

Timber harvesting generally consists of five components: felling; cutting trees to standard lengths and removing un-usable limbs and tops; moving trees from the woods to a landing area—sometimes called skidding or yarding; loading the poles on trucks; and hauling the poles to the processing point. After de-barking the poles are shaped and cut into the specific dimensions. Poles can range anywhere from 20′ to 125′ depending on their eventual use but, on average, most poles are around 40 feet tall. To air dry the material in preparation for the preservative treatment requires

from 9 months to a year in storage in the yard. Using kilns to shorten the drying time is effective but is expensive for the timber mill.

Once the pole has been shaped, and the preservatives created, the next step is combining the two products in a process called pressuretreating. In this procedure the wood is soaked in a liquid preservative then placed in a pressure chamber which forces the chemical into the wood.

The average telephone pole costs $500, with installation adding up to $6,000 to the total price. The average service life of a pole is 31 years.

Your Pal in the Trees,

- Stewart

The Front Royal/Warren County Tree Steward program began in 1997 with volunteers dedicated to improving the health of trees by providing educational programs, tree planting and care demonstrations, and tree maintenance throughout the community. The group now consists of over 30 active members with several interns working toward becoming certified tree stewards from our annual “All About Trees Class”. Each month Stewart will answer a question from our readers. Please forward it to “Stewart” in care of: frwctreestewards@comcast.net and we may publish it in a future issue. Please visit our website at:

www.treesfrontroyal.org

Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 25

twitch.tv/shenandoahesports will broadcast the quarterfinals and semifinals. The twitch.tv/playvs will broadcast finals.

The event is free and open to the public. Concessions and sidegames will be available.

This fall, Shenandoah University

launched degrees in esports management and esports media and communications. Sixteen students are enrolled in the new majors, with several students minoring in esports management and esports performance studies. The university also has a new 1,571-square-foot

esports arena in the unused armory on Shenandoah’s main campus.

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feeding is actually good, to protect animals from super bacteria.”

However, to keep the livestock healthy, she explained, they are pumped full of antibiotics, but a great many pass through their system without being absorbed, resulting in environmental pollution.

The presence of those antibiotics in the environment contributes to the development of “super bacteria” that are resistant to antibiotics.

Cassie and her team worked on a solution to this issue.

“We genetically engineered E.coli to secrete a kind of protein called CMY-10 to biodegrade antibiotics,” she said. “In our project’s focus, the antibiotics we are focusing on is the family of B-lactamase, which includes penicillin, and all those medical use antibiotics.” They chose to focus on the b-lactamase family in part because it has such a high excretion rate (80%).

The project earned Cassie a second consecutive Gold Medal at iGem, amidst even more competitors at iGEM than last year. Cassie found that leading her team was fun, but challenging. “It was a lot more work and a lot more tiring,” she said. “After the first day, I collapsed on the bed exhausted.”

Cassie wasn’t allowed to rest, however, as her teammates had organized a birthday party for her. “I celebrated my birthday with people I didn’t even know,” she said with a

turned to the iGEM Giant Jamboree in Boston for the second year, this time as a team leader.

The annual iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) Giant Jamboree is the synthetic biology industry’s largest innovation event hosted by the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation. The Giant Jamboree is the culminating event of iGEM’s annual, worldwide, synthetic biology competition for students to use genetic engineering to solve local problems all around the world. Each year, the competition brings together more than 6,000 participants from across the globe to explore and create unique applications of synthetic biology with the mission to bring positive contributions to their communities and society at large. Beyond the technology, participants are evaluated on teamwork, responsibility, entrepreneurship, sharing, safety and more.

This year, Cassie and her team, “ASTWS_China 2019,” worked on a method to decrease pollution caused by livestock excrement.

Cassie explained, “Livestock is deliberately overfed and overmilked for if it’s not done this way, the bacteria hiding deep inside the animals will not be eliminated completely. Those bacteria will come back sooner and stronger, which is why we call them super bacteria or superbugs. So, the purpose of over-

See BRIEFS, 27

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Page 26 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Engle’s Angle: “Giving. Again.”

By Kevin S. Engle I’ve been having a hard time figuring out what to get my wife for Christmas.

Some years, I have lots of good ideas.

Let me rephrase that.

Some years, I have lots of what I think are good ideas. Whether they really are is another question.

Other years, the well is dry.

This year the well has been dry.

I looked at my list.

I’ll jot down ideas throughout the year when I think of them or when she mentions something she’d like to have.

There wasn’t a lot on my list.

One small item jumped out at me.

The Jetsons.

Remember that sci-fi comedy cartoon from the early 60s? The one starring George Jetson and his family and their really cool dog Astro?

I loved Astro.

He’s right up there with Scooby Doo. Did you know the same guy was the voice for both Astro and Scooby Doo? Over the years, my wife has often mentioned she wants to be around long enough to fly a Jetsons car. It’s a combination space ship and car.

If you turn on your TV during December, you get bombarded with car commercials. But yet I’ve not seen one for a Jetsons vehicle.

If I can’t get her one of those, I can get the next best thing. Season 1 on DVD. I found it on Amazon. Two different versions.

When I clicked on them to see what was different about them, an interesting message popped up.

“You purchased this item on November 30, 2015.”

Really?

I don’t remember that. I don’t

recall seeing The Jetsons among our DVD collection.

I looked for it the other morning but couldn’t find it.

Then I looked in my files.

I keep a list of what we get for everyone at Christmas including each other. Sometimes it’s helpful to know that from one year to the next.

Ok, maybe that’s a bit obsessive compulsive on my part. Guilty as charged.

There it was. Christmas 2015.

The Jetsons, Season 1.

But where was it? Did we give it away?

I don’t think so.

This was going to bug me until I figured it out.

And then it hit me. The TV cabinet. There’s a handful of DVDs there too.

Bingo!

When I pulled it out and looked at it, I vaguely recall watching a few episodes.

Oh well.

I guess I can cross that great idea off my shopping list.

Or should I? If I don’t remember giving it to my wife, maybe she doesn’t remember getting it?

Hmm. There’s no plastic shrink wrap on it.

I’d have to redo that somehow and then I could wrap it up and give it to her again.

Sure that’s cheating, but I’m desperate.

Technically, I’m not re-gifting.

I’m not giving her what someone else gave us.

I’m re-giving the same gift I already gave her.

I’m repeat gifting.

Am I being naughty?

The author will be in the dog house this Christmas. The Astro house. He’s hoping for Scooby snacks.

– kevinengle456@comcast.net

The Best of Engle’s Angle

Available from Amazon.com: http://bit.ly/englesangle or pick up a signed copy at: The Apple House in Linden Royal Oak Bookshop, Front Royal or the Winchester Book Gallery.

Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 27

BRIEFS, from 25

laugh.

Cassie’s two gold medal teams at consecutive iGEM jamborees have caught the attention of others. Next year she’ll return as an advisor to a younger team, much to her excitement. In addition to getting paid for the position, she will be able to join Jamboree as it crosses the ocean and takes place in Paris next year.

Local broker joins climb Steve DuBrueler, Founder and

CEO of Coldwell Banker Premier, will again be a participant in the Climb for Kids, a one-of-a-kind annual event that raises funds and awareness for children’s charities.

Beginning December 27th, 2019, a team of four volunteer climbers will attempt to reach the summit of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.

With an elevation of 22,837 feet, Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside of Asia, and is one of the so-called “Seven Summits” of the seven continents. It is also one of the tallest climbs without the use of oxygen. The climbers hope to raise over $10,000 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases

through research and treatment.

Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 50 years ago. Unlike any other hospital, the majority of St. Jude’s funding comes from individual contributions and fundraising events like the Climb for Kids.

Steve DuBrueler has participated in most of the previous Climbs for Kids and is excited about meeting the challenge again this year. The climbers prepare for this physically demanding expedition over several months, training for many hours each week. In previous years, the climbers have endured extremely treacherous terrain, high winds, and dangerous blizzard conditions throughout their ascents. DuBruel-

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er and his teams have successfully summited over a dozen mountains and helped raise approximately a half million dollars for numerous children’s charities. “Mountaineering has many parallels to life: trust, struggles, fear, desire, accomplishment, and fortitude; all of which the St. Jude kids and their families live through every day,” says DuBrueler. “This is an excellent opportunity to pay it forward and lend a hand to a worthy cause.”

Steve finds mountaineering a great outlet for his passion for helping others, always remembering that these cold and risky climbs have a warm and safe purpose.

Between now and mid-January,

DuBrueler will be raising funds to support the event. Each climber pays all of their own expenses so every penny raised goes directly St. Jude. If you would like to donate funds to support the Climb, please visit http://fundraising.stjude.org/ climbforkids. Charitable donations can be tax deductible.

These are the events taking place in the Youth Services Department See BRIEFS, 28

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On Dec. 18, 2019 the Colonel James Wood II Chapter presented a Bronze Good Citizenship Medal to Dr. Fred Broadhead, Front Royal Dentis. Dr. Broadhead was honored for his outstanding support of the community. In 2013, he established the first free dental clinic in Warren County. He and his staff spend at least two Thursdays a month at the St. Luke’s Free Clinic providing dental care to those who need it most. He was St. Luke’s Volunteer of the Year in 2017 and along with his staff was presented with a volunteer appreciation plaque in 2018. Dr. Broadhead has made it his mission to increase children’s oral health awareness in Warren County. He has developed and participated in various programs to reach his goal, including book donations to Samuel’s Library and Warren County public and private schools; Halloween oral care packages as part of Front Royal’s Halloween event; Warren County Backpack Buddy Program; participation in Samuels’ Library events and he created the area’s first annual dental art coloring contest. Dr. Broadhead generously supports community initiatives such as Warren County Humane Society, Valley Health Annual Health Fair, Warren Coalition, Rotary, Warren County Parks and Recreation, Browntown Community Association, Skyline and Warren County High School Athletcs and many other causes that enhance our community. It is noted that his dental practice has been recognized as the top dental practice in Warren County seven years in a row. Pictured are Dr. Frederick Broadhead, his wife Cara and their two sons along with Dale Corey, President of the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Page 28 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

BRIEFS, from 27

of Samuels Public Library from January 1 - 15. Thank you for sharing this information. More information about Samuels Library and the programs and services available can be found at www.samuelslibrary.net or by calling (540) 6353153.

Thursday, January 2 – First Day of Winter Reading Club. During these cold and snowy days, hibernate with a good book!

Sign up for Winter Reading Club online or at the library, check out some great library books to read, log your books, then come in for some terrific prizes. For all ages.

10:15 Toddler Story Time.

11:00 Preschool Story Time.

Happy Winter! Our stories, songs, and craft today will reflect all the fun that children can have during the winter! Siblings welcome.

2:00 Teen Escape Room: Escape the Cave. Can you solve intricate puzzles, decode riddles, and un-

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lock secrets, to escape the cave within an hour? For ages 12-18.

Registration begins December 2.

Friday, January 3 – 2:00 Escape Room, Jr.: Escape the Cave. Can you solve intricate puzzles, decode riddles, and unlock secrets, to escape the cave within an hour? For ages 8-11. Registration begins December 3.

Saturday, January 4 – 10:00 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. Choose a time slot at registration, which begins December 4.

2:00 Wild Winter. Hibernation happens differently for the many animals that sleep throughout the winter. Join us as a staff member from the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center teaches us about the winter habits of a variety of animals. We expect a corn snake, an Eastern wood turtle, an Arctic fox, and a bird of prey to be in attendance. The whole family will enjoy this up-close look at some amazing animals!

Tuesday, January 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

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the world around us. Happy New Year and New Beginnings will be the themes this month. Meet with your baby up to two years of age.

Siblings welcome.

4:30 Novel Ideas. Children will explore popular books and book series through S.T.E.M. activities, games, food, and more! Based on books about Balto, we will learn more about service dogs this week.

For ages 6-11. Registration begins December 7.

Wednesday, January 8 and Thursday, January 9 – 10:15 Toddler Story Time.

11:00 Preschool Story Time.

We’ll have a fuzzy, furry, fun story time with our Favorite Bears! Bring your favorite bear to the library to share the stories, songs, and craft!

Siblings welcome.

Saturday, January 11 – 11:00 Art by Carmine. Art by Carmine is a special needs art discovery program. Participants will observe Carmine the dog as he paints, then have the opportunity to paint wooden stars. Young people will have the opportunity to share their thoughts about dogs, stars, and their art during a story circle. This program is for ages 8 18. Please register in advance. Participants should have a caregiver or attendant present in the program.

2:00 Cupcake Wars. Can you judge a book by its cover? How about a cupcake? Can you tell what is in it by looking? Come make cupcakes with unusual ingredients, decorate pre-made cupcakes, and taste all of them. (This program will involve dairy products, eggs, meat, and gluten.) For ages 12 – 18. Registration begins December 11.

Tuesday, January 14 – 4:30 Novel Ideas. Children will explore popular books and book series through S.T.E.M. activities, games, food, and more! Based on books about Balto, this week we’ll learn about Alaska, the last frontier. For ages 6-11. Registration begins December 14.

Wednesday, January 15 – 10:15 Toddler Story Time.

11:00 Preschool Story Time. Get ready for a belly laugh! This week, Miss Pattie will read Funny Stories.

We’ll have a craft, songs, and finger plays, also. Siblings welcome.

A member of R-MA’s winning team, “The Royal Front,” sets up the robot during the FIRST LEGO League Competition held on November 9th in Falls Church.

Photo by Tony Ballard.

R-MA Middle School Students Earn Top Placements in FIRST LEGO League Competition When Randolph-Macon Academy’s three teams headed to the FIRST LEGO League competition in Falls Church on November 9, 2019, it was with the realistic expectation that the more experienced team would have the best chance of bringing home an award, while the two younger teams would be going mainly to learn about the competition and how it works.

Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 29

However, “The Royal Front” team surprised everyone, including themselves.

As stated on firstlegoleague.com: “Every year, FIRST LEGO League releases a Challenge, which is based on a real-world scientific topic.

Each Challenge has three parts: the Robot Game, the Innovation Project, and the Core Values. Teams of up to ten children, with at least two adult coaches, participate in the Challenge by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field (Robot Game), developing a solution to a problem they have identified (Project), all guided by the FIRST Core Values. Teams may then attend an official tournament, hosted by our FIRST LEGO League Partners.”

This year’s theme was “City Shaper,” focusing on urban development and making improvements to your community, including concepts such as building construction, maximizing space upgrades for buildings such as rooftop gardens and solar panels, and accessibility compliance.

R-MA Middle School had two robotics classes; one had the “just right” number of six students, while the other had ten. The class instructor, Ms. K, decided to split the larger of the classes and enter three teams into the competition, to ensure that everyone on each team would get the full experience and play a vital role.

Ms. K had one student on the six-person team who had taken robotics last year, and there were a few other students in that class who had been exposed to coding and robotics. The other robotics class, however, was full of students who

had no exposure to robotics.

“Going into the competition, I sort of thought that the six-person class was going to be our stronger team, because of their experience and age,” said Ms. K. “But as the nature of robotics is, they had the most struggles during the competition--codes that were running perfectly in class weren’t running at all or weren’t close to perfect in the competition. And that happens.

It’s the nature of the beast, and it’s how you rise from the ashes and tackle the challenges as they arise.

That’s where the points are given to you or taken away, how your team functions during that stressful time. They’re being judged the whole day.”

For this year, the R-MA team that rose to the top was “The Royal Front,” a rookie team made up of Layla Danier ‘24, Baruc Romero Hanson ‘24, Cameron Kie ‘26, Wyeth Gedney ‘26, and Kamila Yusupova ‘24.

Early on in the preparation, with no plan and no code, things had not looked promising. “Agreeing to something we all wanted to do was a difficult challenge,” said Layla. However, once they did so, The Royal Front took things to a new level, shining particularly brightly not only through the Robot Design, but the Innovation Project as well. The prompt this year was to solve an issue within the community, which they opted to define as R-MA. They identified the issue as a lack of space to build additional dorms, and their solution was to build “glorified treehouses,” according to Ms. K. Rather than the standard two-dimensional trifold board that teams usually bring in,

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The Royal Front built a diorama with 3D models of the trees--using Legos, of course.

Even with two of them working the majority of the code at the last minute, their robot outshone the others, winning them first place in the robot design portion of the competition. With a strong performance in the other scores areas of the competition, they also earned third place overall and the honor of being first alternate to the state competition, which was held December 7-8.

Samuels Public Library Adult Programming January, 2020 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 stone to your success. The GED class will not be meeting the first week in January due to the New Years holiday.

English as a Second Language Discussion Group: Samuels Public Library invites you to come out and join us for our English as a Second

language discussion group starting.

This is a conversational English language class for adults whose primary language is not English. All skill levels are welcome. Practice speaking English in a welcoming, group atmosphere. This group meets every Tuesday & Thursday at 10:00 am. This group will not be meeting the first week in January due to the New Years holiday.

Genealogy Nuts: Shake Your Family Tree - Samuels Public Library invites you to a workshop for beginning to advanced genealogists. Discover your family roots with a team of genealogists who together have researched more than 50,000 names. Classes are held 1st & 3rd Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm. (January, 15th). The group will not be meeting the 1st Wed. due to News Years holiday.

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 10:00 A.M (Janu-

ary 8th & January 22nd). All ability levels welcome. This Group will not be meeting on the fourth Wednesday of the month due to the winter holidays.

Books & Beyond Discussion Group: Samuels Public Library invites you to the Books & Beyond Bookclub Wednesday, January 15th at 10:00 A.M. where there will be a special poetry discussion. Participants will share a poem by pulitzer prize winning poet Mary Jane Oliver, who passed away in January of 2019.

Library Closings: The Library will be closed Tuesday, December 31st and Wednesday, January 1st in observance of the New Years Holiday. The library will resume normal hours of operation on Thursday, January 2nd. In addition, the library will be closed Monday January 20th in observance of Martin Luther King Day. Normal hours of operation will resume Tuesday, January 21st.

Send your news items to: news@warrencountyreport.com

Page 30 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

Friday, December 20 Sunny, with a high near 41. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Calm wind.

Saturday, December 21 Mostly sunny, with a high near 43.

Light south wind.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. Light and variable wind.

1pm - 2pm Handley Library Behind-the-Scenes Tour at 100 W Piccadilly St. Winchester. Staff members and volunteers will give tours of Handley Library on the first Wednesday (6:30 p.m.) and third Saturday (1 p.m.) of each month. Learn about the architecture and history of the library.

Walk on the famous glass floors and see the well under the stage. Meet in

the Rotunda for the tour. The tours are free, but making reservations is helpful. To make reservations or for more information, call 540 662-9041, ext. 11.

6:30pm North Fork Shen. River Restoration BINGO, 301 North Fork Rd., Front Royal. Doors open 4:30pm.

Sunday, December 22 Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Monday, December 23 Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.

Tuesday, December 24 Sunny, with a high near 55.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34.

Christmas Eve Front Royal’s Business Offices will be CLOSED today in observance of Christmas Eve. Wednesday, December 25 Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Christmas Front Royal’s Business Offices will be CLOSED today in observance of Christmas Day

Saturday, December 28 6:30pm North Fork Shen. River Restoration BINGO, 301 North Fork Rd., Front Royal. Doors open 4:30pm.

Monday, December 30 5pm Advertising Reservation Deadline for Warren/Frederick

County Report Newspaper. To place an ad contact Alison Duvall by calling 540-551-2072 or via email: alisond@ warrencountyreport.com Tuesday, December 31 10am - Midnight First Night Winchester in Old Town Winchester.

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Thursday, December 26 Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.

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Late December, 2019 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Page 31

safest, family-friendly, non-alcoholic, budget-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration in the Shenandoah Valley.

One price gets you a button that allows you into all First Night events for the entire evening. On December

31 this community event brings the night to life as businesses, churches, and other venues open their doors to multiple stages featuring performances throughout the evening.

Entertainment includes, but is not limited to, folk, jazz, bluegrass, old-

ies, acoustical guitar, puppet shows, kids events and more throughout Old Town Winchester. And then, just before the year ends, everyone comes together at the intersection of Cameron and Boscawen Streets to count down time with our official

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“Apple Drop” and midnight fireworks display! Purchase buttons online at www.firstnightwinchester.com.

Advance buttons may also be purchased at the Winchester-Frederick County Visitors Center, 1400 S. Pleasant Valley Road. Open daily, 9am-5pm, call (540) 542-1326 for details. On New Year’s Eve, buttons will be available from 5-9pm at the First Night Winchester headquarters located at: 33 E. Boscawen Street.

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Wednesday, January 1 The Front Royal Business Offices are closed for New Years Day. Trash/Recycling collection for today will be Thursday, January 2. All other regular collection days will remain the same. There will be no yard waste collection this week.

Thursday, January 2 5pm - 6:30pm Lyme/Tick Disease Support Group at Warren Memorial Hospital Outpatient Center Conference Room (1st floor) 120 N. Commerce Ave., Front Royal. More information: contact Jodie Barnett, DPT at 540-635-0730 or jbarnett@ valleyhealthlink.com Saturday, January 4 6:30pm North Fork Shen. River Restoration BINGO, 301 North Fork Rd., Front Royal. Doors open 4:30pm.

Have a short announcement for Local News or Calendar? Just email us at: news@warrencountyreport.com

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Saturday, February 1st from 11AM-2PM is our first ever Polar Plunge event! “Plungers” will collect sponsorship of $50 or more from their friends and family and on the big day, we will charge into the icy cold water! Our fabulous Board of Directors will lead the way into the water, and we encourage you challenge your friends to participate!

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Page 32 • Warren/Frederick County Report • Late December, 2019

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240 Acres Owner will finance. 30 miles from Harrisonburg - close to I-81 & Mount Jackson. Mountain streams, wildlife and wooded solitude. Call Craig Alexander & John Feldman $799,000 | VASH117596

3.7 Miles to Town of Front Royal Pristine 2-Level Home w/ 2,400+ Finished Sq Ft & Lake Frontage. All Paved Roads w/ Ease of Access to Rte 522 & Rte 55. Deck. Call Sharon & Victoria Daniels $269,000 | VAWR138698

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Community water setup fee $1500. Sanitary district. $190/yr. lot fee. Frederick County. Call Melinda Ball Offered at $7,000 | VAFV150564

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Rent includes water, sewer, and electric! Call Matt Bradley $800/Month | VAWR138254

Remodeled 2-Level Townhome Commuters: Move-In Ready, 2 Mi to I-81 Exit 310. New Kitchen/cabinets, appliances, flooring, paint, lighting.

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