James monroe wraps up KG
don’t spare the rod this fall
cherokees open museum
Second-half surge dooms the foxes. Page 5
There’s still time to get in that end-of-season fishing. Page 7
Cultural center aimed at education. Page 4
T he
POSTAL CUSTOMER
King George
Volume 38, Number 42
helping you relate to your community
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 50 Cents
once again, fall festival a bright spot
Group seeks home help Area Habitat for Humanity looking for available land Phyllis Cook
Poor weather can’t dampen event’s spirit By: Stephanie Avery The gray sky set the perfect contrast to the bright fall colors of the 56th annual King George Fall Festival. Numerous spectators lined the street of downtown King George Oct. 11 with festive anticipation. “I have never missed a parade,” said longtime resident Marilyn Tolliver-Johnson. “My parents brought me every year, and since I could drive, I’ve been taking myself.” A range of government officials
marched along with pageant contestants during the parade, the highlight of the event. “I’ve been in the parade twice, but it was different this year, because as a contestant, the attention is all on you,” said pageant contestant Elikah Willis. The parade also featured myriad entrants, from firetrucks to a troop of energetic Zumba dancers. “The floats have to be flashy to See FESTIVAL, page 4
Jessica Herrink photos
TOP: A group of children embody the theme of “Keep’n It Country” as they dance between the raindrops during the King George Fall Festival.
ABOVE: The festival’s guest of honor, Leslie Smith, a disabled veteran, enjoys the parade with her dog, Issac. LEFT: The King George High School band helped liven up the parade.
Committee eyes county Internet expansion Phyllis Cook Members of a new King George technology advisory committee will have their first meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 in the boardroom of the Revercomb Administration Building. The meeting will be attended by two members of the county’s staff — Chris Dines, manager of the county’s information technology department,
and Rhonda Smith, the sheriff ’s communications assistant director — to answer questions or concerns from members. It’s been a long time coming. The idea for the committee was sparked last year, after some residents who live in sparsely populated areas asked county officials if they could help get them access to affordable broadband Internet.
County Supervisor Dale Sisson encouraged the formation of the advisory panel to look at broadband issues, as well as addressing other concerns residents had about technology. The group’s purpose is “to make recommendations to the board on specific policies and matters related to technology and to make the board aware of effective and efficient
technology opportunities.” Some of those who addressed the supervisors also formed a small group last November to research possible solutions to the problems of getting broadband Internet to underserved areas. Supervisors have said they hope the two committees would work together when the county’s committee begins. That’s likely to happen, because there
is overlap in the membership of the two groups. The committee’s 10 members — appointed by the board with each supervisor nominating individuals — are Jack Bernardes, Cathy Binder, Lyle Brown, Thad Dobbert, Michael Knutson, Dale Robertson, Dee Straus, Jonathan Usher, Al Ventura and Tony Zilic. Each will serve a one-year term, and meetings are open to the public.
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The Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity is seeking properties in King George on which to build homes. Thomas Carlson, executive director of the faith-based nonprofit organization, addressed the King George Board of Supervisors on the subject Oct. 7. He said the group has been building about one home per year. It hopes to boost the total with a new vision to build 20 homes by 2020 in its coverage area of Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania and King George with a priority to provide homes for police/ deputies, firefighters/EMTs, teachers and veterans. “Land is the most expensive component when building a home,” Carlson said. Carlson said his group is in negotiations to get land owned by Catholics for Housing. “They did all the engineering studies and plans but didn’t do anything with it. So it sits there,” he said. He said they hope to obtain the property, which is adjacent to Presidential Village Townhomes, with Habitat to build some of the houses and others to be constructed by a commercial builder. “If we can successfully negotiate that package, we will build the 14 townhomes to go there and will honor the proffer to build for police, deputies, EMTs, firefighters, teachers,” Carlson said. “But I would ask the board of supervisors to also allow us to add veterans, as well. We would like to bring affordable housing to all of those folks.” Habitat is happy to accept donated land, and Carlson said he also is working with state legislators, including the speaker of the House of Delegates, to see if a mechanism can be inserted into state law to provide the ability for localities to “forgive” delinquent tax bills for non-resident owners of condemned or blighted property, in exchange for its donation to Habitat or another non-profit housing developer. Carlson said that action is permitted in some other states. Supervisor chairman Joe Grzeika See habitat, page 4