Virginia Viewpoints General Assembly scores on ethics Page 2
Sports
Sports
Schools
damian carroll takes bowling green hot rods by storm Page 4
Healthy kids at the YMCA Page 5
king george outdoors club members have a busy spring page 6
T he
Volume 39, Number 18
Phyllis Cook King George has snagged another business for its county industrial park. CCE Specialties, LLC – a commercial contractor specializing in metal framing systems, drywall, acoustical ceilings, doors and frames, and door hardware installation – will relocate from Stafford to an existing 75,000 square-foot building on a 10acre lot in the King George Industrial Park. Jim Howard, chairman of the King George County Board of Supervisors, made the announcement at the end of the April 21 meeting. “Any time you have the opportunity to add a company of CCE’s caliber to the county is exciting,” he declared. “We understand every company has a choice in where they locate, and economic development is extremely competitive. We are thankful they chose King George County to do business and look forward to working with them moving forward to provide every tool they need to grow and be successful.” CCE Specialties provides service in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Linwood Thomas, the county’s director of economic development,
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CCE Specialties headed to King George Industrial Park described CCE as a fast-growing company and that initially bring more than 40 jobs from its Stafford operation. “It’s exciting to see the vision our board of supervisors has had for our industrial park over the last year,” he said. “With the significant investments in infrastructure improvements being made, you are now starting to see corporations making relocation decisions. We are excited to add CCE Specialties as the newest industry in our growing park.” CCE has a 60-month lease with an option to buy the property at the end of 12 months. It intends to construct a 20,000 square foot build-out for office space and to add approximately 60 additional new jobs in the next 24 months. “The King George Industrial Park is well positioned on the Eastern Seaboard between Richmond and Washington, D.C. and [the county] still offers some of the lowest tax rates and cost to do business in the commonwealth,” Thomas said. “With the improvements in fiber, rail and gas within the next 18 months, you will continue to see the park grow in the next five years, which will create capital investment for our tax base in King George County.”
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Exhibit recalls school desegregation George Whitehurst Courage takes many forms. In King George, beginning in the late 1940s and again in the early 1960s, it took the form of African-American families who fought to ensure equal access fro their children to the educational opportunities available to white students. The first step toward equality took place when this group of parents sued the county over its “separate but equal” segregated school facilities. As a result, Ralph Bunche High School opened in 1949, allowing African-American students to have an education experience similar - though still inferior - to that of white students. In 1962, a group of AfricanAmerican parents once again sued to bring about integration of King George public schools. They succeeded, and by 1968, Ralph Bunche High School ceased being the only school for AfricanAmerican students. That struggle is recounted in an exhibit produced by a group of 11 University of Mary Washington students under the tutelage of Dr. Cristina Turdean, professor of historic preservation. The team spent months researching the history of segregated
education in King George - digging through mountains of primary and secondary historic documents, and interviewing Ralph Bunche alumni and other players in those historic events. On April 21, the UMW students unveiled eight large panels that traced the African-American educational experience in King George from the days of segregation to achievement of full integration. The premier of the exhibit, “The Road to School Desegregation in King George County,” took place in the auditorium of UMW’s Dahlgren campus. More than 150 people, including many Ralph Bunche alumni, attended the ceremony. The display panels arranged at the front of the room bore traces of the blue and orange school colors of Ralph Bunch High School, which provided a sharp backing for the stark black-and-white photos featuring the faces of the men and women who changed the culture and history of King George public education. Claudette Jordon, president of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association, introduced Dr. Turdean, who, along with her students, highlighted the exhibit’s features. Nadine Lucas, chair of the Ralph Bunche Advisory Committee grew emotional when discussing the
George Whitehurst
Claudette Jordon (left), President of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association, presented gifts to Cristina Turdean, Ph.D., and her students from University of Mary Washington for creating a new exhibit chonicling the fight to integrate King George County Public Schools from the 1940s through the 1960s. history of the school and thanking Dr. Turdean and her students. The exhibit draws attention to the ongoing effort to refurbish and preserve the old Bunche High School
building. The advisory committee will recommend options to the King George Board of Supervisors for renovation of the structure and its use in years to come.
Bus tour traces flight of Booth through region Richard Leggitt
Photo courtesy KG Sheriff’s Office
Volunteers and community residents participated in a torch run to honor Virginia’s Special Olympians.
Sheriff’s Department hosts Special Olympics torch run Richard Leggitt The King George Sheriff ’s Office and King George High School teamed up again this year for the Annual Torch Run for the Virginia Special Olympics, attracting hundreds of runners and volunteers and more than 150 Special Olympics athletes. “I would like to thank all that supported this great event, whether by monetary support, food and drinks or by their presence of running, working with the athletes, and helping to set up and break down all stations,” said King George Deputy Rod Shriver, a coordinator of the event. It was the fourth year for the Sheriff ’s Torch Run, which raises funds for the Special Olympics, and the third year that Special Olympics events took place at King George High School. “To see the smiles on the athletes faces made the day very special for all that were present,” Shriver said. Dee Strauss, a DECA adviser and marketing teacher from the high school, was especially proud of the more than 100 KGHS students who gave their time and talents to help make the Special Olympics events successful.
“This provides an opportunity for students to volunteer and become invested in something greater than themselves,” she said. King George Sheriff Steve Dempsey said the event draws together the entire community. “The men and women of the King George Sheriff ’s Office, as well as all the volunteers, truly look forward to this event every year,” he said. “It means as much to us as it does the children and their families. I want to thank our partners, volunteers and sponsors, everyone who makes this day possible. Being involved and being here today will make a difference.” Making the run from the sheriff ’s office to the high school were deputies from the sheriff ’s office, U.S. Marines from Marine Corps Base Quantico and Indian Head, MD; members of the high school Junior ROTC program and dozens of volunteers. Helping with the annual run were officers from the Virginia State Police, the Rappahannock Regional Jail and the King George Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services. After the run, the competitors See TORCH RUN page 8
Sunday marked the 150th anniversary of the death of the infamous John Wilkes Booth. On April 26, 1865, Booth died during a standoff with federal troops 12 days after he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. This final chapter in America’s Civil War occurred in a tobacco barn near border of King George and Caroline counties. The Caroline County Department of Tourism held a special tour last weekend to commemorate the sesquicentennial of Booth’s capture and demise. Chase leads from D.C. to King George Before he was captured and shot at the farm of Richard Henry Garrett See BUS TOUR page 8
Richard Leggitt
Reenactors portraying Sara Lane Peyton, David Herold and John Wilkes Booth re-create the moment on April 24, 1865 when Booth and Herold arrived at the Peyton during their flight from federal troops after the assasination of Abraham Lincoln.
Reaction mixed to proposed tax increase Phyllis Cook The King George Board of Supervisors heard from 15 people at last week’s public hearing on the proposed $70 million budget for 2015-16. County administrator Travis Quesenberry said it would include $43.86 million for schools, including $37.97 million for the school operating budget. It would provide schools with $14.42 million in county funding, $4.63 million more than the ‘required local effort’ of $10.06 million needed to fund the Standards of Learning. The budget would add two positions for a fire/rescue trainer and convert a part-time position to a full-time facilities technician, along with buying five sheriff ’s vehicles. It would postpone county raises until reconsideration at mid-year in January 2016. Those speaking on budget and taxes included two reps from outside agencies and 12 residents, with
written comments from Jim Lynch. Lynch and Koontz Campbell expressed opposition to a proposed 2-cent real estate tax rate increase. The current real estate tax rate is 59-cents per $100 valuation. Seven residents said they wanted a tax increase to go toward fire and rescue services and possibly the school division. Others said they wanted shorter fire and rescue response times immediately and higher teacher pay. Lynch and others suggested that a 2-cent tax increase would be used to create a “slush fund.” “The increased revenue will not be spent wisely for the betterment of the county, but just sit around in a slush fund,” Lynch said in his email to county officials. Supervisor Dale Sisson rejected that inference. “I don’t know where this rhetoric is coming from that we’re just creating some $500,000 fund that would not be assigned. That’s not accurate,” he said.
Supervisor Joe Grzeika declared that he would not vote for any higher taxes unless the revenue from such an increase was dedicated beforehand. “It will be dedicated or there will not be a tax increase,” Grzeika said. Supervisor Ruby Brabo said she spread the ‘slush fund’ term. “You want to talk about where the term has come from. It came from me,” she said. “So next week when we go to vote, which do we vote on first? Do we vote where the money will be allocated? Or do we vote first on the tax increase and then determine?” Supervisor Cedell Brooks stated that the supervisors must advertise a potential tax increase if they wish to consider a possible increase. “If we don’t advertise it, then we can’t do it after the public hearing. I think it makes sense to advertise a tax increase first and let the people have their say,” Brooks said, adding he supported more positions for fire and rescue. Board Chairman Jim Howard stressed the allocation would be
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made before the vote on the tax rate. “We will allocate every penny. I can guarantee that,” he said. Earlier this year, Sisson proposed a possible 2-cent rate increase, suggesting one cent go toward schools and to upgrade a county grounds maintenance position, with the other penny going toward more fire and rescue positions at midyear. All five supervisors supported advertising a possible two-cent tax increase. The supervisors will continue budget deliberations at a special meeting at 6 p.m. April 29 in the boardroom of the Revercomb Building.