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Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Volume 40, Number 24
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 50 Cents
helping you relate to your community
Potomac River Festival draws crowds to Colonial Beach Richard Leggitt
Photo by Richard Leggitt
Fireworks lit up the sky Saturday night at the Colonial Beach River Festival.
King George man charged with causing multiple accidents in Maryland, Virginia Richard Leggitt Christopher S. Spadaro, 49, of King George was arrested last week and charged with driving under the influence, possession of a controlled substance, felony hit and run and reckless driving after a wild driving spree during which, officers said, he crashed into a number of vehicles on U.S. 301 in Maryland and Virginia. The King George Sheriff ’s Office received a call around midday on June 6 from police at the Harry Nice Bridge on U.S. 301. The bridge police reported that there was a crash on the Maryland side of the span and
that the suspect had crossed into Virginia. Spadaro"s car struck at least five vehicles in Virginia before crashing in the area of U.S. 301 and Windsor Drive in King George, state police reported. Virginia State Trooper R.A. Ramirez arrested Spadaro at the scene and charged him with being under the influence and causing the multiple accidents. Spadaro is facing charges in both Maryland and Virginia. Law enforcement officers in both states said they were continuing their investigations into the individual traffic crashes.
The three-day 65th Annual Potomac River Festival went off without a hitch last week drawing thousands of visitors to Colonial Beach. Great weekend weather helped highlight the traditional kickoff of the summer season in the beachfront town. "It was a great crowd," said Colonial Beach Vice-Mayor Eddie Blunt. "I talked to the fire department and nothing out of the normal. Public works did a good job with the trash and the fireworks were a 10." The Saturday night fireworks were the hit of the weekend. Red, white, blue and orange rockets launched from the municipal pier and soared out over the Potomac River to the cheers of the crowds along the beach
and more than two dozen boats anchored in the river to watch the colorful display. There were also three parades, including a boat parade and a pet parade, as well as beauty contests, arts & crafts, a carnival and dozens of vendors selling food and foods on nearby Town Hill and with a few vendors along the Colonial Beach boardwalk. Sponsored by the Colonial Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Riverfest has been a summer kickoff tradition since 1951. This year's theme was Rollin' on the River. The festival began with the always popular fun carnival on Town Hill featuring See River, page 8
Blunt details ideas on improving Colonial Beach Richard Leggitt
Colonial Beach Vice-Mayor Eddie Blunt, in a prepared address to his fellow council members Thursday, said the historic Potomac River town is making progress, but much remains to be done if Colonial Beach is to again become a thriving community. "We have great people working here," Blunt said. "The town already has in place most of what it will need to take the next step, but we need vision and focus on what is important to our future and numbers to support it." Blunt said if Colonial Beach is goSee Blunt, page 8
Photo by Richard Leggitt
Colonial Beach Vice-Mayor Eddie Blunt told the council at last week’s meeting the town must do more to attract business and broaden its appeal by attracting new projects.
Stratford Hall to host environment classes this summer Richard Leggitt
Historic Stratford Hall, the home of the Lee family of Virginia, will host teachers from King George and Westmoreland counties, as well as the Northern Neck and beyond, for summer training focused on environmental conditions in the region during pre-Colonial times. Stratford Hall's Public Events Director Jon Bachman said "The sixth annual Stratford Hall Summer Teacher Institute: The Environmental History of the Virginia Tidewater 1300 – 1700" will be held at the Westmoreland plantation July 20-23. "Our annual Teacher Institute is a belated thank you to Northern Neck teachers. A little something extra for our Northern Neck teachers who daily motivate, encourage and stimulate hundreds of students daily," Bachman said. "There are 25 spaces available for certified Virginia
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teachers." The summer teacher institute is a sponsored educational opportunity on the grounds of Stratford Hall for public school teachers of the social studies, geography, environmental studies, government and history in the fourth grade through high school. "The Teacher Institute presents nationally respected scholars and practical information for classroom teachers offering engaging and insightful seminars," Bachman said. "It is our belief that through enriching subject areas teachers can build memorable and useful lessons." "This year two historians and two
See Classes, page 8