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News
Beach to unveil LOVEwork art page 8
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Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Volume 39, Number 36
Wednesday, September 2, 2015 50 Cents
helping you relate to your community
Montross Friday Art Walk and Market Day set for Labor Day weekend Richard Leggitt Martin Reamy, a talented, successful artist who was born and raised in Montross, and Josh Grigsby and the County Line who just finished recording their first CD “Changes in the Tide,” will be featured during the upcoming Labor Day weekend celebration in the Westmoreland County town. “Return to the Village” has been the town’s theme for five-plus years and takes on special meaning at the upcoming Montross First Friday Art Walk and Music Series on Sept. 4 and for Montross Market Day on Sept. 5. “Montross is thrilled to welcome home Martin Reamy, a Montrossborn and raised artist, for his first local fine-art exhibit at the Westmoreland County Museum’s Wakefield Building,” said Terry Cosgrove with the Greater Montross Partnership for Revitalization. “We love it when our folks do great things and then return to share it here in the Village,” Reamy spent much of his youth in Montross skateboarding around town or painting on T-shirts for friends and family. He graduated
from Washington & Lee High School and moved to Richmond to attend the VCU School of the Arts in 1992. He began airbrushing professionally at his friend’s Richmond shop and the portrait became his favorite subject matter. In 1997, he graduated from VCU with a BFA in illustration while continuing his work at the airbrushing shop in Richmond. In 2000, Reamy began exploring his passion for making music. As he developed his music, he also painted portraits. As he began working at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, he rekindled his love for painting and found a new focus, oil painting. As he practiced painting in oils, he wanted to capture the realism he mastered with airbrushing, however, Reamy soon found out that texture, color and abstraction were way more inspiring. The possibilities with oil paints were endless. The past year, Reamy has created a collection of famous musicians portraits painted on old vinyl records. He describes bringing his art back to his hometown as coming full circle. “My first job was at Wakefield Furniture, and my friends and I hung out on those steps everyday
skateboarding,” he said. “So, it’s a special feeling to show my art in this building that I have such a connection to and for the town that helped raise me.” The headliner band for this weekend’s festivities is Josh Grigsby and the County Line, whose members just finished recording their first CD “Changes in the Tide.” Area shops, galleries and eateries are all open late. In addition to music by Josh Grigsby and the County Line, local musicians Kenny Taylor and Jason Smith will perform. The Hague Winery will host a wine garden, and Dragon Creek Oyster Company will offer raw and cooked oysters. Artists showing work in the Wakefield building include: Kellie Yeatman, showing “Watermen of Westmoreland” a combination of paintings and charcoal drawings that are a fitting tribute to the area watermen. Julia Slaughter, who handcrafts wreaths, trees, lamps and home décor items from oyster shells, seashells, star fish, and other beach items will have her works on display. See ART WALK, page 8
Montross 1st Friday Art Walk & Music 6:30-8:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4, 2015 6:30 p.m. — Kenny Taylor & Friends 7:00 p.m. — Josh Grigsby & the Country Line Wine garden hosted by The Hague Winery Local oysters by Dragon Creek Oyster Company For more info, go to www.visitmontross.com
Photo courtesy of Greater Montross Partnership for Revitalization
The artwork of Montross-born artist Martin Reamy will be on display over Labor Day weekend as part of the Friday Art Walk and Market Day festivities.
Stratford Hall names new exec director Richard Leggitt Stratford Hall has selected a new executive director to succeed Dr. Paul Reber, who was killed in a traffic cycling accident last month. The Executive Committee of the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association, which operates the historic venue in Westmoreland County, has announced the appointment of Carter B. Refo. “We have been very fortunate to not only appoint someone who is familiar with Stratford Hall and its operations, but also to have him willing to step up and take the lead immediately during a very trying and sad time,” said Custis Glover, President of the Board of the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association. Reber died in late July when he was struck by a tractor trailer while cycling on State Route 604 in rural Westmoreland County. “Carter has been active in The Society of the Lees of Virginia since 1995, and has taken part in many Stratford programs over the years. His love of history and his
Photo courtesy of Stratford Hall
The executive committee of the Robert E. Lee Memorial Assocation has named Carter Refo as executive director of Stratford Hall. He replaces Dr. Paul Rber, who died in a July cycling accident. management experience, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Lee-Fendall House in Alexandria, Virginia, will help us
continue to move Stratford forward.” Refo is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. He served in the Navy for 30 years
as a naval aviator and made over 13 overseas deployments during his career as an aircraft carrier pilot. He is a graduate of the Naval Test Pilot School and served as an engineering test pilot conducting weapons tests. Refo commanded a carrier squadron and a carrier airwing. In 1988-89, he commanded the U.S.S. Milwaukee, and from 1991-93 commanded the U.S.S. Independence. After retiring from active naval service in 1995, he joined SPARTA, Inc. as a defense consultant and worked with the Missile Defense Agency in Arlington. “It is a privilege to be able to serve Stratford Hall in the capacity of executive director during this time,” Refo said. “I look forward to assisting the board and staff with all the great work that is going on at Stratford.” Refo and his wife of 50 years, Paula, make their home on a hilltop west of Warrenton, VA. They have two children, Carter Francis and Elizabeth Beaumont, and two granddaughters, Olivia and Grace.
Beach council considers public bathroom options Linda Farneth For years the Town of Colonial Beach has used portable toilets to handle the overflow of tourists during busy weekends and to protect the permanent bathrooms from damage. However in the summer of 2015 damage sustained to the bathrooms became so drastic, and conditions so unsanitary, the town had to rely on portable toilets all summer long. Vice Mayor Eddy Blunt
commented that the town is dependent on waterfront tourism and these issues need to be addressed. Town Manager Val Foulds responded saying she agreed, however she said she has to weigh the health of her employees as well. “We’ve lost one employee that I would give anything to get back. When they come to me and say, ‘We are human beings too, we shouldn’t have to spend hours See BATHROOMS, page 8
Correction Due to an editing error, the Aug. 26 article on bids for the demolition of the old Colonial Beach High School building did not correctly identify the body that recommended the three finalists for the job. The town’s review team, made up of town staff members and a representative of Dewberry, the town’s engineering firm, made the recommendation. The Journal regrets this error.
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S I G N AT U R E S P O N S O R
All AMERICAN Harley-Davidson
September 19 & 20, 2015 Advance tickes: $20 Taster, $10 non-Taster, $5 Kids 6-12, Under 6 Free For Festival information and advance discount tickets go online at StratfordHall.org Job No: Title: Agency: Contact: Client:
STH15 7278 Wine & Oyster Festival Ethicom Linda Andrus 757-626-3867 x301 Linda@Ethi.com Stratford Hall
Pub:
The Journal Press Target: General Tourism Contact: Jessica Herrink 540-469-4031 jherrink@journalpress.com Size: Banner: 13” x 2” Pub Deadline: August 31, 2015