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Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Volume 39, Number 19
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 50 Cents
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Three charged with arson in Colonial Beach school fire Linda Farneth Virginia State Police have announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the 2014 fire that destroyed the Colonial Beach Elementary School building on Douglas Avenue. Thomas G. Perry, 24, and Parrish Muse, 21, were both indicted by a Westmoreland County grand jury on one count of burglary, one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of arson of an unoccupied dwelling, and one count of damage to a public building. The grand jury indicted Carlos Bermudez, 19, on charges of arson of an unoccupied dwelling and trespassing on school property. All three were taken into custody without incident on April 28. The arrests come just three weeks after the Colonial Beach Council approved demolition of the charred shell of the school building. Muse and Perry are being held
File Photo
Firefighters struggle to contain the flames as the Colonial Beach High School building burns on the morning of Jan. 5, 2014. Three indivduals have been indicted for arson in connection with the blaze following a 16-month investigation by the Virginia State Police. without bond at the Northern Neck which has shocked town officials. well as their families, and I know this Regional Jail, while Bermudez was “I am sure we are all saddened will be a difficult time for the both released on bond, according to a to learn that those that have been of them. This is still an active invesState Police press release. charged were former students,” said tigation and it would not be approAll three suspects are alumni of School Board Chairman Tim Triv- priate to comment any further at this the Colonial Beach Public Schools, ett. “We know these young men as point.”
Trial begins in Oliff lawsuit against Westmoreland deputy Richard Leggitt The trial of two lawsuits filed by Montross restaurant owner Bryan Oliff and one of his employees, Josh Sanford, against Westmoreland Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Anthony Darby has begun in Middlesex County Circuit Court. Oliff, owner of Angelo’s, is seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. Sanford’s suit seeks $2 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages. The trial, which was moved from Westmoreland County to Saluda, stems from the May 22, 2012 arrest of Oliff, Sanford and a third Angelo’s employee, Lois Wright, on drug charges. The lawsuits against Sgt. Darby accuse him of malicious prosecution, citing the unreliability of
James C. Newsome, an undercover informant who claimed to have bought cocaine at Angelo’s. The trial, which opened April 29, featured testimony from Darby, an admission by Newsome that he had lied to help prosecutors get indictments and numerous of character witnesses for Oliff, including Congressman Rob Wittman and state Sen. Richard Stuart. Oliff, 52, a lifelong Westmoreland County resident and a former W&L high school athlete, was publicly arrested at Angelo’s on drug charges after Newsome purportedly helped Darby obtain evidence of five drug buys at the restaurant. Also arrested were Sanford and Wright. Tests by the Virginia State Police drug lab determined the substance reportedly bought by Newsome See OLIFF, page 8
Linda Farneth The Colonial Beach Revitalization Facade Committee held its kick off meeting on April 28, inviting every business and property owner within the project area to come and learn about the program. Town Manager Val Foulds reported that roughly 10 business owners showed up for the meeting. To date one applicant has signed up to participate. “Prospective applicants have been given until May 15, 2015 to submit their applications,” she said. Carol Rizzio of Land Studio and Architect Jeff Stogel joined Northern Neck Planning District Commission Executive Director Jerry Davis to explain the facade improvement program to stakeholders in the project area. Every property owner in the revi-
talization project area is eligible to participate in the Facade Improvement Program. All who are interested, will receive free architectural technical assistant services and preliminary designs on making improvements to the outside appearance of their properties. After receiving architectural services, property owners who want to pursue grant assistance and carry out the improvements may file an application for grants of up to $10,000. If property owner chooses not to do the work, they are entitled to keep the architectural designs free of charge. A Facade Improvement Committee will review the applications, plans and designs to prioritize then and decide who will receive grant money. Roughly $97,000 has been allocated to the project. Businesses See FACADE, page 8
Linda Farneth
Richard Leggitt
Sherri Smith with the Artisan Center and Tim Davis moderate a discusion about the proposed Northern Neck Artisan Trail.
Artisan Trail planned for the Northern Neck Richard Leggitt
Colonial Beach Principal Jennifer Grigsby(left) and Guidance Counselor Micheal Wells(right) congratulate Racheal Shafter (center left) and Skyler Lewis (center right) on their acceptance to NASA’s summer academy. ings conducted by astronauts, engineers and scientists. In February, Shafter and Lewis and were selected to participate in the Virginia Aerospace Science and
the flames spread quickly. The firefighters had no choice but to retreat. Moments after the evacuation, the school’s roof collapsed. No one was injured in the fire. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Richmond Field Office Special Agent/Arson Investigator A.B. Cooke Jr. and ATF Special Agent C. Campanelle responded to the scene to investigate the arson. State police Special Agent J.C. Straughan Jr. assisted with the 16-month investigation. Corinne Geller, public relations director for the Virginia State Police, described the probe as “very lengthy and complex” and thanked Colonial Beach residents for their cooperation. “Since the court proceedings are just beginning for these three individuals, state police is not in a position to comment any further about the content of those tips or anything of evidentiary value in this investigation.”
CB stakeholders attend facade information meeting
Shafter and Lewis to visit NASA Rachael Shafter and Skylar Lewis are heading to the final frontier this summer, or at least something close to it. The two juniors at Colonial Beach High School have been accepted into NASA’s summer academy. Over the course of the summer, Lewis, Shafter and other participants will get full exposure to the workings of America’s space exploration program. “I’m very excited to have this amazing opportunity to further pursue my career in astronomy,” said Shafter, who wants to pursue a career in astrophysics or planetary geology. “I feel that this experience will help guide me into the next step in advancing my knowledge in the corresponding field.” The academy students will design a simulation for a human mission to Mars, will tour facilities at NASA’s Langley Langley Research Center, and have a chance to meet with NASA personnel. Students will also participate in hands-on scientific and engineering activities and brief-
Colonial Beach School Superintendent Kevin Newman also declined to comment on the specific charges but expressed relief that the investigation is progressing. “The arrest of the three suspects will hopefully bring some closure to the tragic event,” he said. Colonial Beach Mayor Mike Ham agreed, adding that he expects more details about the case in the coming weeks. “At this time we need to allow the investigation to continue and let the legal system run its course,” he said. “I appreciate all the hard work that has gone into the investigation so far. The State, Federal and local law enforcement investigators have all worked well together to get to this point. On behalf of the Town of Colonial Beach, I thank them all for their hard work.” Beach residents watched on Jan. 5, 2014 as the 100-plus-year-old, twostory building burned. Firefighters struggled to contain the blaze, but
Technology Scholars (VASTS) program. VASTS is an interactive on-line course that teaches STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics. VASTS immerses students in NASA-related research through interaction with scientists See NASA, page 8
The Artisans Center of Virginia is planning an artisan trail for the Northern Neck running from King George County down to Lancaster County. The trail will provide local residents and visitors to the area a comprehensive guide to artists’ studios, farms, vineyards, cultural and recreational activities as well as shopping, restaurants and lodging. Officials from the Artisan Center, which is located in Staunton, met last week at Westmoreland State Park with supporters of the trail and interested officials from the five counties involved. “The Artisan Center has been very, very helpful,” said businesswoman and artist Holly Harman of Montross. “They really know what they are doing.” The Artisan Center is a statesponsored non-profit program that works to build the Virginia economy by helping local artisans and communities to promote themselves. The April 28 meeting at Westmoreland State Park was the second meeting
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in the area to discuss the creation of an artisan trail through the Northern Neck. Last week’s meeting was focused on possible names for the new trail. Suggestions from the more than 40 participants attending ranged from the Steamboat Artisan Trail, to the GatewayArtisan Trail to the Chesapeake Bay Artisan Trail. The overwhelming favorite of those attending the meeting appeared to be the Northern Neck Artisan Trail, bearing the slogan “Where history abounds and water surrounds.” A final decision on the official name of the trail will be made at a meeting later this year. The Artisan Center has already established artisan trails in several areas of the state that are operating successfully. “The hardest thing we do is try to come up with a name,” said Sherri Smith, the Artisan Center’s exec-