ending on high note
soup’s on!
murder case
the Colonial beach boys’ basketball team wins its final regular-season game. Page 5
Feast your eyes and tastebuds on these recipies for soups and roasts for your small game. Page 6
Judge says three suspects in shootings will be tried together, not separately. Page 8
POSTAL CUSTOMER
T he
Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Volume 39, Number 8
helping you relate to your community
Wednesday, February 18, 2015 50 Cents
Beach board eyes new elementary school Will request $9.6M to pay for it Linda Farneth The Colonial Beach School Board has begun the process of securing money for a new elementary school. The passed a resolution at its Feb. 11 meeting to request $9.6 million in the form of a bond from the Town
of Colonial Beach. School Board Chairman Tim Trivett said this is just the first step in a long process to secure money to replace the elementary school mod pods with a permanent building. “We still need to have very important conversations with members of the council,” said
Superintendent Kevin Newman. Newman said the intent is to place pre-K through seventh grade in the new building. Preliminary construction site discussions place the building beside the high school near the softball field, he said. “We are currently in the first stage to determine if we are eligible for the bond. The application itself has to be completed before March 2nd. Dates beyond March 2nd have not been
discussed at this time,” Newman said. In January 2014, a large unused two-story building on the elementary school campus on Douglas Avenue caught fire, leaving the rest of the campus too dangerous to continue to use for the elementary school. The students temporarily were housed at the Oak Grove Baptist Church for the remainder of the 2013-14 school year.
Elementary students began the 2014-2015 school year sharing the high school/middle school campus on First Street while mod pods were constructed on the same campus to house them. The current temporary elementary school opened in October. Trivett said the school is attempting to save money in lease fees in the future. School Board Director of Finance Donna Carver said the
next fiscal year budget will include $262,500 in lease fees for the mod pods for both the elementary school and the middle school students. Carver is researching the possible bond amounts and repayment schedules to determine the cost comparison between mod pod rentals and installments for a bond. The resolution eventually will have will go to the town council for a public hearing and a vote.
Bike Fest sales about $200K, officials say Linda Farneth
Linda Farneth
(left to right) Colonial Beach High School Principal Jennifer Grigsby, Racheal Shafter, Skyler Lewis and guidance counselor Micheal Wells.
Students picked for space program Two Colonial Beach juniors to take part in interactive course Linda Farneth Most kids are encouraged to reach for the stars, but two Colonial Beach High School juniors are going beyond that. They’re on a mission to Mars. At least they are planning one. Skyler Lewis and Racheal Shafter, both juniors, have been selected to participate in the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars program. The program is an interactive online course that teaches science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It immerses student in NASA-related research through interaction with scientists and engineers. Students who successfully complete the training are eligible for a seven-day residential summer academy at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton. Getting into the program was no walk in the park. Lewis and Shafter both had to have a high grade point average and recommendations from their guidance counselor and a teacher. They also had to submit an essay that outlined
“We are very proud of Skyler and Racheal for their acceptance into this highly selective program,” said Jennifer Grigsby, the high school’s principal. “They both have shown a proclivity for the STEM fields.”
“It’s a really fast-moving and difficult class, but it’s really fun experiencing the challenges that they put you through,” Lewis said. At the end of April, a select few students will be chosen for an all-expense paid trip to a summer academy at the Langley Research Center. The academy will include a team project, in which students design a human mission to Colonial Beach High School Mars, tours of the facilities and mentoring by Principal Jennifer Grigsby, NASA engineers and scientists. Students also will participate in hands-on scientific and engineering activities, as well as briefings and their interest in pursuing a career in science seminars by astronauts, engineers, scientists and their parents had to submit a paper about and other NASA experts. them also. “We are very proud of Skyler and Racheal Lewis wants to become an emergency trauma for their acceptance into this highly selective doctor. program,” said Jennifer Grigsby, the high school’s “I’m very interested in the scientific skills,” principal. “They both have shown a proclivity she said. for the STEM fields, and this opportunity will Shafter wants to pursue a career in astrophysics certainly serve them well as they move into or planetary geology. senior level science and mathematics courses “Astronomy has always been one of my favorite here at Colonial Beach High School and in their things since I was young,” she said. “It’s a good future college coursework.” step for me, wanting to be an astronomer. I was Shafter, who has a signed letter from astronaut really excited about that.” Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin said, “I was not really into The girls learned they were accepted into the engineering before but this course has piqued program in late November. The online training my interest.” is split into virtual classes and continues through “They are both deserving students who April. Each learning module builds up to the continue to strive for excellence and demonstrate same end project of creating a mission to Mars. Drifter Pride at its finest,” Grigsby said.
Leedstown Resolutions to be celebrated Richard Leggitt The historic Leedstown Resolutions, a statement of self-determination and a protest against British taxation written 10 years before the Declaration of Independence, will be commemorated at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at the old Yeocominco Church near Kinsale. The Northern Neck Historical Society will host the commemoration,
which will feature a spirited interpretation by speakers portraying members of the Lee family of Westmoreland -- Philip Ludwell Lee, Richard Henry Lee and their sister, the outspoken Hannah Lee Corbin. Richard Henry Lee was the author of the Leedstown Resolutions, which he penned in 1766 after burning effigies of British tax officials on the lawn of the Westmoreland County Courthouse. Ten years later, he
introduced the bill that led to the Declaration of Independence. The actual Leedstown Resolutions written by Richard Henry Lee were signed Feb. 26, 1766 at the town of Leedstown on the Rappahannock River. In addition to Lee, the resolutions protesting the rule of the British were signed by 114 other planters, farmers and merchants from Westmoreland and surrounding counties.
The commemoration will be at the Yeocomico Church,t 1283 Old Yeocomico Road, the church the Lee family attended at the time. Hannah Lee Corbin, who lived near the church, was an outspoken activist and a supporter of the Revolution. Her brother, Philip Ludwell Lee, was not a revolutionary at that point but more interested in the operation of Stratford Hall, the family’s 1,900-acre plantation in Westmoreland.
The first annual Bike Fest brought in almost $200,000 in additional sales to Colonial Beach businesses, according to Chamber of Commerce President Carey Geddes and Mayor Mike Ham. These figures were calculated by taking the difference in tax revenues for October 2013 and October 2014 reported by Director of Finance Joan Grant and calculating how much in sales would produce this amount of tax revenue. Grant said the town took in almost $8,000 in taxes after expenses from police overtime. Not deducted from that figure was roughly $2,100 in overtime to public works employees, according to department director Rob Murphy. He said this was for work to prepare the grounds for the event, adding the town typically would provide these services for any large event. Murphy said all clean up during and after the event was handled by the event planners without any need of town employees. The chamber said it is working on preparations for the this October’s event. Pat Fitzgerald, of the Colonial Beach Rescue Squad, said Westmoreland County brought in 30 hours of overtime but was not needed for Sunday due to rainy weather and lower than estimated crowds. “We staffed more hours, but that was not a problem, the CBVRS volunteers stepped up to the plate,” Fitzgerald said. She reported there were no calls for incidents with bikers. “We had no qualms. We thought it went very well for the first time,” she said. Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dave Robey said the fire department provided food throughout the weekend for all first responders, as well as police. After tallying expenses, fundraisers during the event and food donations the fire department made $484. Geddes presented an additional donation of $500 at the Feb 12 council meeting. CBVFD volunteers provided a total of 616 man hours for the four-day event. The majority of council described the event as a big success for its first year. “It really was nice to see the town alive in late October,” Ham said.
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“The chamber of commerce, High Tides and all the other agencies did a great job,” said Councilman Burkett Lyburn Councilwoman Wanda Goforth expressed concerns, however, that the costs included in the chamber’s report, only paid for Colonial Beach police and next year the town would incur a debt to other law enforcement agencies if they came to help out. Acting Chief Bruce Hough said the department contacted Westmoreland and state police officials for the first event, which he said the town routinely does for any other major event. The state police were not going to charge for this past year’s services, Hough said, however he was told if the state returns next year, it would cost the town about $87,000 as a conservative estimate. Geddes said he was told by police at a recent meeting the amount of police were adequate for handling 80,000 people when, in fact, it was estimated the event brought in only 12,000. After some heated debates, Ham said: “Unless we request them they can’t just show up and send us a bill. Everyone in town pays state taxes and the state police have a responsibility to offer support when events like this come up.” “We as a small town have to think outside the box, we need to broaden our horizons and try to make it work,” Lyburn added. “I understand we are a small community but sometimes we have to do things to bring money in. It takes everybody in the town to make it work.”