Check
oysters
OGVFD receives $2,500 grant. Page 8
returning missing cages to tangier island. Page 8
T he Volume 39, Number 13
Spring gobblers Prepping for tom.
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POSTAL CUSTOMER
Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 50 Cents
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Arrival of ospreys signals arrival of spring Richard Leggitt The thousands of ospreys that flew into the Northern Neck and the Chesapeake Bay last week were perhaps less than thrilled by the cold, wet weather that marked the March 20 arrival of spring. After all, the mighty raptors were migrating north for the spring and summer following a winter sojourn as far away as Brazil. But if the skies were overcast, the appearance of the ospreys was a welcome sight for area residents. “It’s wonderful,” said Peggy Musick of Colonial Beach. “The arrival of the ospreys is a sure sign of spring, which brings hope and enthusiasm again. It is fun to watch them carrying sticks to build their nests.” Residents of King George and Westmoreland counties have been seeing the signs of spring for weeks: the appearance of skunks and redbreasted robins and the blooming of crocuses. But the appearance of the ospreys each year is the final sign that spring has officially arrived. Many residents of the area welcome the ospreys’ return by building platforms for osprey nests. Ospreys nest on those platforms, as well as on telephone poles and channel markers. The ospreys breed while they are in the area, usually hatching two or three eggs in early summer. Their return migration to South America, with their youngsters, begins in November. The ospreys’ annual winter migration, and their long flight to and from the Southern Hemisphere, has been tracked by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for several years in an effort to help the public better understand the traveling raptors. The CBF places tracking devices on ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay region so it can monitor their migration patterns. The devices are donated by Microwave Telemetry
and are installed by professional ornithologists. “Not only can we track their migration, but we can also monitor the daily activities of these birds both here and in South America,” said Don Baugh, the foundation’s director of education. The Chesapeake Bay region has the largest concentration of ospreys in the world, although the magnificent birds can be found as far away as Australia, Siberia and the Red Sea. Ospreys can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Fish make up 99 percent of the ospreys’ diet, so they are very effective fishers. They hunt by diving to the water from as high as 100 feet. Their talons allow them to pluck a fish from the water and then rotate it in flight to reduce wind resistance. They are the only bird with this unique capability. Their only competitor for food in the Chesapeake Bay and the Northern Neck region is the bald eagle. Eagles will swoop down on an osprey in flight and force it to drop a fish that it has caught. The eagle will then steal the fish in midair. The osprey, also known as a sea hawk or fish hawk in some regions, has plumage that is dark brown and white. Ospreys only weigh about four pounds, but they have a six-foot wingspan. They can be seen daily along the waterfront areas of King George and Westmoreland counties to the delight of area residents, who enjoy watching them catch fish or build their stick nests. In the 1950s, ospreys were endangered like eagles and other birds of prey by the use of DDT in farming operations. Since the chemical was banned, however, the ospreys have made a strong comeback and today are widely seen and welcomed in the Northern Neck not only as a final sign of the arrival of spring but as a symbol of a flourishing environment.
Joint task force drug investigation results in seven arrests Richard Leggitt Seven people have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation of illegal drug distribution in King George and Westmoreland counties. A joint taskforce composed of federal, state and county law enforcement authorities made the arrests in connection with a pair of recent raids, according to Kecia Wharton of the King George Sheriff ’s Office. Four people were arrested as a result of a March 11 raid at a private residence in Index in King George. Three others were taken into custody on March 19 after officers executed warrants at three different residences in Colonial Beach, Dahlgren and on Tetotum Road in King George. “We take drug related crime very seriously,” said King George Sheriff Steve Dempsey. “The men and women who are part of the taskforce worked tirelessly on these investigations, devoting long hours away from their families. They deserve much credit for their hard work.” Officers from the King George Sheriff ’s Office, the Virginia State Police, the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service made up the taskforce. Arrested and charged in the March 11 raid in Index were Harold Edward Foster Jr., 66, of King George; Duane Ira Lynn Jr., 47, of Colonial Beach; and Richard Fred Pickens III, 32, of Woodford. Cocaine, heroin and other drug evidence were recovered at the scene.
Jessica Herrink
Crocus, peepers and Osprey - sure signs that spring is finally here, even if it is still chilly.
See bust, page 8
Colonial Beach Foundation takes over Lions Club lease Linda Farneth The Colonial Beach Town Council has approved plan to allow the Lions Club to terminate its long-time lease at 717 Marshall Ave. and for the Colonial Beach Foundation to pick up the lease for the property. This is not the end of the Lions Club, but a new beginning. The Colonial Beach Foundation is partnering with the Lions Club and will allow the club to continue meeting at the property. In addition, the foundation plans to offer softball, bocce-ball, concerts and other family-oriented events at the location. The two organization will jointly manage the property. “I think it will be a great partnership.” said Mitzi Saffos who is a member of both groups, as well as curator of the Colonial Beach Museum. Saffos said she pitched the idea to the foundation at a recent meeting after the Lions Club members spoke of difficulties in paying the club’s electric bills. She described the arraignment as a win for both the foundation and the Lions Club. “The Foundation doesn’t have their own space, so a lot of their activities can be done on the property.” she said. The Lions Club built the building on the property and has leased the land for decades, but Safos couldn’t remember the specific year the lease began. The oldest records of the Lions Club being on the property
date back to a lease created on Nov. 10, 1977 according to Town Clerk Kathy Flanagan. The Lions Club raises money for local food banks and other charities, but is most known for its work to supply glasses to the needy. “The Lions Club does pediatric screens to check kids’ eyes.” Saffos said. “They purchased a $10,000 portable machine to help examine children for vision problems.” Saffos knew she wanted to join the Lions Club when helping the organization conduct eye screenings year ago. She saw a boy come in who was stumbling. “He asked for glasses and the group just thought he wanted glasses because it was cool.” Saffos recalled. Club members were stunned by how poor the boy’s eyesight was and tested him three time to make sure the results were correct. The club referred him to an optometrist and followed up to make sure he got glasses. “I was so impressed with what they were doing for the schools I joined up,” Saffos said. The Colonial Beach Foundation is a non-profit organization made up of citizens with the goal of improving the quality of life in Colonial Beach. It sponsors a variety of projects in the areas of education, beautification and political involvement and has to date raised nearly $100,000 in support of those programs.
Dana Wise
Minnesota students “pay it forward” in Colonial Beach Richard Leggitt A busload of students from the University of Minnesota came to Colonial Beach last week to “pay it forward” by doing community service work at Colonial Beach Baptist Church. “I really like it,” said student Jadie Jopp of Elk River, MN. “You get to build your leadership skills and meet cool people along the way.” Jopp and 35 other students arrived in Colonial Beach on March 16 following a similar community service stop in Pittsburgh. They spent a day painting and making repairs at Colonial Beach Baptist Church, much to the delight of the
congregation. “First of all, for them to consider coming to Colonial Beach was a true blessing from God,” said Melvin Satchell, chairman of the church’s deacon board. “They could have gone to Washington or some bigger place.” The 36 students are members of Students Today, Leaders Forever, an organization founded 12 years ago at the University of Minnesota. The STLF, which today is located on 33 college campuses, provides students the opportunity to participate in a number of leadership programs including a yearly Pay It Forward Tour as an alternative to various spring break activities.
“It is a great way for us to give back and build leadership skills at the same time,” said student leader Celisa Stanton. “STLF is a non-profit, and it offers us the ability to impact people’s lives and pay it forward. There is no other program like it.” While at Colonial Beach, the students bunked down in sleeping bags on the floors of the church’s classrooms and enjoyed meals provided by church members. Following completion of their work at the church and the overnight stay, the group headed the next day to Winston Salem, NC to tackle another project. Members of Colonial Beach Baptist Church praised the students
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for their commitment, their desire to grow and their efforts to help improve the lives of others. “They were so joyful about their work. They were so appreciative and so excited to be helping,” Satchell said. “It was a true blessing for us. I pray we impacted their lives as much as they did ours.” Since its founding by four University of Minnesota students in 2003, STLF has not only spread to See forward, page 8