streak continues
time to get busy
another lawsuit
Kg’s kolin johnson stays unbeaten after wins at arrowhead invitational. Page 4
the break between hunting and fishing seasons is short so make sure you’re prepared. Page 6
Project Faith has filed a $300,000 lawsuit against king george county in fight over route 3 land. Page 8
T he
Volume 39, Number 5
POSTAL CUSTOMER
King George
helping you relate to your community
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 50 Cents
County speeding up decision on ‘fracking’ Commissioners OK accepting peliminary planning report Phyllis Cook The King George Board of Supervisors agreed Jan. 20 to fasttrack proposed changes to the county zoning ordinance for oil and/or natural gas drilling. The current method of natural gas drilling is called “fracking,” which is an industrial drilling process to create fractures in rock formations thousands of feet underground by injecting chemicals into cracks in the ancient shale to allow gas to be extracted. The board wants to be prepared in case it receives any requests
from drillers for permits within the county. A suggestion by chairman Jim Howard to accept a preliminary report from the planning commission as its final report is expected to speed up the process by five months, getting tighter restrictions and additional standards in place sooner. “I think the planning commission and staff have done an outstanding job with this report. I’m not sure what five more months of review and rewriting will produce,” Howard said. “I suggest we consider this the final
report and ask staff to complete the amendments to the ordinance and bring it back to us,” Howard said, adding the board could then make any adjustments and forward it to the planning commission for a public hearing for another review. A majority of supervisors agreed, with supervisor Ruby Brabo voting against it, expressing concern the planning commission would be left out of the process. She also brought up tightening up the language in the county’s comprehensive plan at the same time to which supervisors agreed. The ordinances on exploratory drilling for oil and/or natural gas were thoroughly reviewed by the commission the previous four months, resulting in this month’s report
providing three options to supervisors for potential approaches. Option one would prohibit fracking by removing all current references to oil and gas drilling. Option two would restrict drilling to exploratory wells but not production wells, also prohibiting fracking. Option three is what supervisors wanted. That will provide stricter regulations and additional application standards for any driller looking for a permit in King George. Jack Green, director of community development, told the board the commission provided a very detailed ordinance amendment, with only a few bulleted items needing more elaboration. “Those are not completely fleshed
out, but they can be,” Green said. Those areas include dark sky lighting requirement, disposal of waste material, noise, hours of operation, and transportation of resources. Green also said the special exception process would provide a thorough review of each application. The rest of the board agreed with supervisor Cedell Brooks, who asked what would happen if they prohibited fracking. Green said there likely would be a greater chance of a legal challenge if it was prohibited. “The more safe option would be to leave it in and strengthen it,” Green said. “I’d say take the more proactive way and protect ourselves with the special exception approach with
option three, and let somebody else go spend their money on a legal battle if they want to,” said supervisor Joe Grzeika Supervisor Dale Sisson also was in favor. “The term prohibition is somewhat of a misnomer as we talk about moving forward,” he said. “While I think none of us really support this type of operation and are looking for every chance to restrict it that we can, I would certainly not want to open us up to legal action that would then take away the ability for the land use decision-making power that we have as a local elected body. Smart land use decision making and drafting and crafting of an ordinance allows us to do the right thing for the county.”
new shopping plaza set to open Aid to schools
and broadband are key issues, Ransone says House delegate aims to protect rights of people and businesses Richard Leggitt
Leonard Banks
Hibbett Sports and Dollar Tree are just two of a handful of new stores that are opening this spring in the King George Gateway shopping center off Route 301. Hibbett Sports will be the first to open this weekend.
Hibbett Sports is the first store to occupy shopping center Richard Leggitt Hibbett Sports, an Alabama-based retailer specializing in footwear, apparel and equipment, will open its new store at the King George Gateway shopping center on U.S. 301 this weekend. Following closely will be the grand opening of the new 18,000-square foot Peebles Department Store, which has scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony for March 19. “We’re thrilled to be opening a new store in King George,” said Jeff
Rosenthal, president and CEO of Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc. in a press release Peebles also expressed optimism about their new store opening. “King George shoppers deserve a hometown store that delivers exciting fashion brands and well known national brands of clothes, shoes, fragrances, accessories and home decor,” said Michael Glazer, president and CEO of Stage Stores Inc., the parent company of Peebles, in apress release. In addition to Hibbett Sports and
Peebles, several other stores are preparing to open in the shopping center, including Petco, Dollar Tree, Famous Footwear and Goodwill Industries. The plaza is just east of Walmart. The new businesses are an example of King George County’s increased commitment to diversifying the local economy through economic development, said county officials. The new Hibbett Sports is a 5,000-square-foot store that will specialize in localized apparel and accessories so customers can find
the gear they want to support their favorite local teams. Peebles official ribbon cutting will take place March 19, kicking off a weekend-long celebration of grand opening festivities. Popular brands that Peebles offers include DKNY, Nine West, Nike, Dockers, Carters, Skechers and Nautica, Hibbett Sports said it is hiring eight full-time employees for its new store. Peebles plans to hire between 40-50 full-time and part-time employees, officials said.
Spring track renovation decision on tap Phyllis Cook
The King George School Board must decide how to replace its track.
The King George School Board is expected to make a decision by spring on whether to renovate the existing high school track or construct a new one. That’s when the annual capital projects lists are expected to be due to the county for prioritization. This past year, construction of a new track was requested to be built adjacent to the stadium at an estimated cost of $500,000. That plan did not address what to do
about repairs to the existing track. The current track is next to the middle school, which was formerly the high school. It’s a short walk to the current high school next door. The track had been completely renovated in 2006 at a cost of about $300,000. At the time, the See TRACK, page 8
The wife, mother and businsswoman who represents the 99th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, including King George and Westmoreland counties, hopes to protect aid for schools in the area, as well as a restructuring of broadband legislation that impacts the region. “Protecting our way of life and making sure I represent the needs of our district is the most rewarding thing for me,” Ransone said as she began the legislative session in Richmond. “It’s challenging, but I appreciate a challenge. It is in my nature to work hard.” Ransone, a Republican who was elected to the 99th district seat in 2011 and will be up for re-election this year, also has introduced legislation that would ensure state regulatory proposals that have the potential to negatively impact businesses or localities are thoroughly vetted by the General Assembly “This will help cut down on the unnecessary burdens caused by careless regulations that make it difficult for individuals to start or grow their businesses, and relieve localities of more unfunded mandates,” Ransone said. In addition to the regulatory proposal, safeguarding education aid and the broadband legislation, which restructures the broadband advisory board in favor of rural areas, Ransone wants a resolution bringing transparency to tax withholding “so hard-working Virginians are better aware of their contributions.” “Many times it is not legislation we pass, but legislation we stop from passing that are harmful to education families businesses and localities,” Ransone said. “It is important to put an end to ideas
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that are not good for the citizens before they get to the governors desk for signature. “Prote c t ing tax dollars, the budget, making Ransone sure we aren’t wasting money on frivolous ideas, protecting public safety, stopping the bad ideas, protecting our rights, protecting businesses — all of that has a lot to do with ending legislation in committee. Many citizens never hear about the majority of the bills we stop.” In the House of Delegates, Ransone, who lives in Kinsale in Westmoreland County with her husband and two children, serves on three committees: Health, Welfare and Institutions, Privileges and Elections, and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources. She recently was selected to give the Republican response to Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s State of the State address. She said she tries to keep her life balanced. “There’s no secret, it’s support from my family and our faith in God,” Ransone said. “I am so thankful for the prayer notes and numerous e-mails from citizens of thanks and prayer. “It’s uplifting, the support from my staff and community, leadership from our localities is also helpful. “Like others, it is most challenging for me as a parent and hard-working citizen when our government makes poor choices and disappoints us.”